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Planning something big – Project FNote One
Filed Under (Uncategorized) by admin on 28-04-2010
I know that really could be reality. Some of my nokia workmates including me begun planning something big lately. All we need is money, time and good luck. We have already talked a lot about it, we have made several mailings, and drawings with Fedora Electronic Lab, sketches how will be look at the end – but we didn’t found the perfect PCB candidate for our plannings. Until now. We have seen the copyleft licenced Nanonote. And the decision has made. We need similar to this. To create an portable device, what runs purely Fedora itself. An PDA, or/and IP mobile, table device what builds upon open source resources completely A to Z.
The idea came from the first open source chassis – VIA Nanobook. We need only the upper screen part, what we will shrink down to around 8″, adding some keyholes, and that’s it. The heart of this device could be an touchscreen with the Nanonote’s PCB. But there is something what we thinking: to have an X86 based opensourced processor or SoC, to run natively Fedora… But it’s impossible to find such. Still there is hope, but not X86 based: at OpenCores the OpenRISC 1000 or 1200. What is a must, we need as many as possible open source electronic modules to prove it, that we alone could say: We made IT (TM by Linux.com).
But we have an great suite FEL, and we will try our best as our time allows. Guys, wish to us good luck, and anyone who wants to help in design are welcome.
What about using OpenSPARC instead? It would be more powerful.
OpenSparc as I know – it's designed for servers. But not for somekind strong table-, or for handheld device. On the other hand such projects (like ours too) needs a lot of money, and lot of time to have everything builded. With OpenSparc, you will need a lot more components, witch pumps up the failure possibility, and makes ways more expensive. However, if somebody says that redesigned the chip, and so on – why not?
SoC's are the only option to get out from these troubles, and one company/community who helps to found our fanless design but yet powerful enough to run an typical Fedora desktop, sized to our desk. But currently there are no X86 based SoC, witch is opensourced. Open hardware, and opencores are our last hope. So, any help is accepted.