The day where I can use a Chinese made laptop with RISC-V running Linux-libre will be glorious
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Can't wait to be able to run open source operating system on open hardware. :)
It's an open Instruction Set Architecture compared to x86 used by Intel and AMD. An ISA is basically (oversimplifying a bit) how a computer knows how to compute. It's important that it's open because it's royalty free and, importantly for China, not able to be sanctioned
Damn, that comes with some pretty incredible implications about domestically made chips
Huawei already makes Linux phones using ARM chips so the groundwork is already laid.
For sure, I very much expect a lot of RISCV based designs on the market in the near future. This also opens up possibility for doing SoC style architecture like Apple M series. Moving away from the legacy x86 design creates a lot of possibilities for performance and power usage improvements.
NASA recently standardized on RISC-V for future space-based computers.. The idea is to have a standardized CPU that's radiation-hardened, has a minimal power draw when inactive, but has the computing power necessary to handle high-performance operations with reliability at critical times (course corrections, landing sequences, command-and-control of sensors when doing rapid flybys, etc). And they want to be able to use multiple CPU vendors without having to make hardware or software redesigns of their own.
ridiculous that they haven't done this already. Also there have been like 2 previous announcements like this already, aimed at not using Windows for government stuff.
The Intel and AMD stuff is bigger news I think.
It also really should be more far-reaching. Why should people's personal data be susceptible to surveillance?
If they promoted using Linux on personal computers, it might encourage video game developers to ensure better compatibility with Linux as well, although that obviously isn't important in the grands scheme of things.
I imagine it's a really difficult task to migrate decades of data and processes that were built around using windows. It's not just the internal stuff the government uses, but also making sure you can still interoperate with all the contractors. Like if the government works with a company and they send a word doc, can you still read it, etc. I'm not surprised it's taking a while to do.
I do think that this is necessarily going to lead to a lot more Linux usage in China though. Once the government starts using it in full, a lot of resources will be poured into polishing rough edges. And migrating off x86 opens up a lot of possibilities for Linux as well. For example, companies like Huawei could start making RISCV based laptops that work similarly to M series from Apple. This architecture allows for much faster and more power efficient chips.
And yet Hexbear users oppose a ban on TikTok? Interesting...
Tiktok is a media app for 14 year olds
Windows is literally your entire computerTiktok is literally my entire computer (smartphone)
According to this article China makes up 27% of Intel's revenue (its SINGLE biggest market) and 15% of AMD's revenue (its third largest). Will be interesting to see how badly this will affect the bottom line of both companies in the coming years.
Considering the US already bans Nvidia and AMD from selling their high-end GPUs to China, this ban was going to happen sooner or later. China just decided to pre-emptively do it so they can plan ahead for the phase-out as opposed to being caught off guard.
China leading a potential Linux revolution on the global tech industry would be glorious to see.
Yeah, that's gonna be a huge hit for US tech firms. I imagine MS will also lose a ton of licensing revenue once windows and office are shuffled out.
When Russia booted McDonalds and started their own I thought, "good. countries need their own shit."
I feel the same with this. Good for China.
Its not good because of some dumb notion of countries "having their own shit." Its good because the US is openly hostile and capricious in its relationship the PRC and its good for them to decrease any existing reliances on anything from the US, since they have the capability to.
The US is going to fuck around and amd find out on this. US needs the PRC way more, but its commitment to being imperial hegemony and to white supremecy are going to fuck it over. Thats going to be great to see when it happens