Open source PPC laptop bounty

[wawrzon]

but

 People being caricatures of themselves, preferring style over substance, and judging a computing device on how 'pretty' it is, rather than how functional it is.

on an amiga site?

[Iggy]

To be fair this argument is bordering on I can't be racist I have black friends.  But lets move on and back to the conversation at hand
 
 I was being a bit of a tit and have used that word when I shouldn't many times because it was in common usage growing up, so have no right to pick others up on it.

Actually, it closer to "I can use the 'n' word because I got a pass from my black  buddy"...but you're right, lets move on.
And I don't use either word much, as I really do have close friends that are...uh, lets drop it.

Besides, I think you all get my point about color coordinating your laptop, watch, and phone without picking on any specific group.

'Pretty' laptops...this project we are discussing is based on a standard laptop case that is not as artistically refined as a MacBook, but the X64 version does have room for a separate graphics board which is nice.

And its a nice rugged case.

I've just received word from Roberto Innocenti that they don't want to promise the incorporation of an MXM card in production models yet.
But as plans for the prototypes currently calls for the gpu not to be incorporated onto the motherboard, a solution like that seems a strong possibility.

but

on an amiga site?

O..K, you DO have a point there.

[Rob]

It's just over 20% at the moment.  Hopefully it doesn't take too long to meet the first goal.  I expect there'll be a core of supporters that have already decided to support each stage of the project.  Hopefully as it once the schematic is more people will be more confident in the project succeeding and it will pick up more support as it progresses.

[Karlos]

I was being a bit of a tit and have used that word when I shouldn't many times because it was in common usage growing up, so have no right to pick others up on it.

That's discriminatory against all manner of garden visiting birds!

[Rob]

That's discriminatory against all manner of garden visiting birds!

I sexually identify as a Eurasion blue tit and defend my right to fly over your car and drop hot sticky loads on the windscreen.

[billt]

I've just received word from Roberto Innocenti that they don't want to promise the incorporation of an MXM card in production models yet.
But as plans for the prototypes currently calls for the gpu not to be incorporated onto the motherboard, a solution like that seems a strong possibility.

I think the choice is either mxm-3 or solder gpu directly on motherboard. There are only a couple laptops doing mxm these days, so not a lot of variety in chassis selectiom to use mxm card, but mxm is preferable to decrease motherboard design and test effort, and gpu tech info is likely only by nda, so mxm slot is preferable for open design motherboard goal.

[jj]

That's discriminatory against all manner of garden visiting birds!

:roflmao::roflmao:

[gregthecanuck]

Good thing this thread isn't drifting off-topic.    ^_^

[bloodline]

a lot of stuff is based on vanity, especially around here. but so far i dont see anything i need to respect the ppc notebook initiative for so much. people have been considered this idea for a few years and came now to the conclusion that they need to delagate this to some professional electrical engineer, who of course needs to be paid for his service so they need to gather funds. thats fine, but not respectable.

i respect people like igor or gunnar who pull on complex project, others have deemed impossible.

This is exactly my point.

The Vampire and the associated FPGA CPU projects are of immediate and direct benefit to the Amiga community. Work was undertaken at the expense of the individuals involved. Two key things this project doesn't have.

If this was an FPGA laptop, where it had no CPU or GPU, but simply a couple of FPGAs (to be set up with any cores the user so desired) then it would be far more interesting and exciting to the Amiga community.

[Iggy]

This is exactly my point.

The Vampire and the associated FPGA CPU projects are of immediate and direct benefit to the Amiga community. Work was undertaken at the expense of the individuals involved. Two key things this project doesn't have.

If this was an FPGA laptop, where it had no CPU or GPU, but simply a couple of FPGAs (to be set up with any cores the user so desired) then it would be far more interesting and exciting to the Amiga community.

That would actually be interesting even outside the Amiga community.
Great idea, how it would interface with the display panel could prove tricky, and most chassis' these days rely on USB ports for connectivity.
But that is a really good, and original idea.
My apologies for the off base comments, that IS sharp.

[bloodline]

That would actually be interesting even outside the Amiga community.
Great idea, how it would interface with the display panel could prove tricky, and most chassis' these days rely on USB ports for connectivity.
But that is a really good, and original idea.
My apologies for the off base comments, that IS sharp.

The Vampire 500 V2 really isn't very far away from this idea already.

Simply add a LVDS for direct LCD display output, a USB hub, and some power management chips, then engineer it into a laptop chassis compatible form factor.

A cheaper and more interesting project, by a long way.

-Edit- I'm not trying to be negative, I just can't see any positives with respect to a PPC Linux laptop.

[Iggy]

The Vampire 500 V2 really isn't very far away from this idea already.

Simply add a LVDS for direct LCD display output, a USB hub, and some power management chips, then engineer it into a laptop chassis compatible form factor.

A cheaper and more interesting project, by a long way.

-Edit- I'm not trying to be negative, I just can't see any positives with respect to a PPC Linux laptop.

Yes, well I was being a bit of an ass, especially considering my core beliefs.
Beyond that, I know further PPC projects are not that practical.
I explored the idea awhile ago, and even got as far as enlisting Bill Buck who approached Freescale about the idea.

I am reasonably sure the PPC laptop will gain some traction, as the first step is quite likely to be financed.
And I'm one of the people that would want one.
Then again, I'm also one of the people that sees the value of the X5000 over the A1222.

But you're right that an FPGA laptop might have broader appeal.
I could see that being used for multiple cores, not just Amiga based projects.
Spreading out that way would offer an opportunity to enlist people from outside the Amiga community as well as having appeal to our core constituency.

The saving grace with the PPC project is the interest outside of the Amiga community, primarily from the Linux community.
But an FPGA laptop would have even broader appeal in multiple segments of the retro market.

Portable Amigas, Apples, Amstrads , heck I'm still in the 'A's'...the potential for your idea is massive.
Again, really sharp.

[utri007]

The Vampire 500 V2 really isn't very far away from this idea already.

Simply add a LVDS for direct LCD display output, a USB hub, and some power management chips, then engineer it into a laptop chassis compatible form factor.

A cheaper and more interesting project, by a long way.

-Edit- I'm not trying to be negative, I just can't see any positives with respect to a PPC Linux laptop.

Some reality check. Do you understand that Vampire is not power full enough to general desktop use? This laptop has about 500x more horsepower than Vampire.

[wawrzon]

Some reality check. Do you understand that Vampire is not power full enough to general desktop use? This laptop has about 500x more horsepower than Vampire.

and even more reality check:
there already are platforms out there that support laptops more powerful and have better software coverage than ppc laptop may ever receive. if there was any rational reason for a ppc laptop someone would have developed and be selling one. since none did and its even difficult to find interested audience to crowd fund such a project, it has obviously nothing to do with "reality".

[LiveForIt]

and even more reality check:
there already are platforms out there that support laptops more powerful and have better software coverage than ppc laptop may ever receive. if there was any rational reason for a ppc laptop someone would have developed and be selling one. since none did and its even difficult to find interested audience to crowd fund such a project, it has obviously nothing to do with "reality".

Maybe its not going to be made for the masses, but I don't care about that, I think it be nice to have real PowerPC laptop, it be nice to sit outside working some program when it really hot inside.

Yes I can emulate AmigaOS4.1 on X64 laptop, but speed and lack of features, I just won't be the same, I just love the idea of a laptop.

I guess it selfish thing, but looks like there are other who also like go places. even if did just run Linux this something I like to see, I like PowerPC to have some kind of future outside of embedded, it's nice CPU to program for, just like 680x0 CPU is.

[Iggy]

Maybe its not going to be made for the masses, but I don't care about that, I think it be nice to have real PowerPC laptop, it be nice to sit outside working some program when it really hot inside.

Yes I can emulate AmigaOS4.1 on X64 laptop, but speed and lack of features, I just won't be the same, I just low the idea of a laptop.

I guess it selfish thing, but looks like there are other who also like go places. even if did just run Linux this something I like to see, I like PowerPC to have some kind of future outside of embedded, it's nice CPU to program for just like 680x0 CPU is.

Thanks.
To address those two comments, when recently has any element of the Amiga community felt itself constrained by 'realities'?
Yes, there are more powerful platforms (than either PPC or FPGA).
Further, if I wanted a cheap laptop, I've been offered some great deals on ARM based units, and I can get X64 hardware at a pretty good price.

And emulation on ARM or X64 platforms certainly has its place, but native hardware really does it for me.
Luckily recently I've had older Apple PPC hardware to use that has remain surprisingly competitive.
While I'm an advocate of the X5000, a comparison between PowerMac G5 and more recent PPC system is enlightening.

BUT, I don't have a problem with higher price, limited production system aimed at our market.
And I'm open to anything Aeon, the Power Progrees Community, or the Apollo team dream up, including a potential FPGA laptop.
After all, I already have a few hundred invested in FPGA hardware and its a better solution for me than mainstream hardware or emulation.
Then there's the 'fun' aspect of having dedicated hardware in a format it wasn't originally offered in (ie portable).