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China's 64bit Homegrown CPU
An anonymous reader writes: "EE Times is reporting on China's BLX IC Design Corp nearing the completion of their first 64-bit CPU. Based on the MIPS instruction set the 500-MHz Godson-2 microprocessor is aimed toward distributed grid computing. To avoid MIPS patent issues, several instructions (unaligned loads and storeds in the 32 bit version) have not been implemented but with the support of over 60 software providers such as Red Flag Linux and the ability to tweak compilers to not use these instructions this should not be a problem. The Godson-1 processor (also patent free) was announced last year and was aimed at the embedded market." The Godson processor line has generally been called Dragon by the Western press.
Couldn't do any better than to choose the MIPS instruction set. I looked at it years ago and was impressed with its clean design.
If tits were wings it'd be flying around.
Of course, I assume you're using the DRM buzzword to describe TCPA, which is something different entirely.
But how would a chinese chip with no DRM be any different from an Intel chip with DRM disabled?
I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
Hopefully the Chinese will leave DRM out of their chips and give people looking for a "free" CPU a competitive option to the crippled intel/AMD CPUs.
How are Intel and/or AMD chips "crippled"? Are you referring to cpu id's? How would the "Dragon" be "free" and how could it be competitive running at 500mhz?
Of course there is the ultimate irony of using DRM and China in the same sentence.
1) Free and easily ported OS allows them to have a reasonable non-standard processors.
Agreed. One of the reasons I love NetBSD.
2) US restrictions on exporting high powered chips and other computer parts are easily diluted by open standards.
Well I don't know if I'd call a watered down 500mhz MIPS based chip "high powered". Maybe once you lash 128 of them together you'll have a decently powered box, but individually, it's way less than yesterdays tech.
3) Test, over time, in the market place the use of cheap open chips vs. more expensive perhaps more cutting edge chips (from the west). Do you use 1 or 2 AMD or Intel chips costing 700 USD or 5 or 6 Dragon/Godson 2 chips costing? $5 or $50 (etc).
Not a good comparison I think. It costs $200 RETAIL for an Athlon 2400MP. Now home much supporting chips, power, etc would you need to put together 5 of those Dragons to get at the same fudged clock rate, assuming of course you're doing things that a parallizable enough to counter the loss in raw clock rate. There are other "non open" chips that are alternatives that cost less/run cooler/etc. I don't see how an "Open" chip helps at all here. Plus how is the Dragon "open"? They "steal" another companies tech and explicitly work around any licensing issues. That's "open"?
I don't think that is anything to worry about. I mean, think about it.
Everyone in America is complaining about how US firms are employing foreign workings instead of US citizens. Once the foreign market starts to keep pace with / pass up the US, there will be an increased demand for IT workers in those countries. As demand for these workers increases, their salries will increase as well. This means US firms will be less eager to hire foreign workers.
Also, I think the US could use a good kick in the pants when it comes to motivation for product innovation. This may be just what we need.
I am a viral sig. Please help me spread.
"Of course, I assume you're using the DRM buzzword to describe TCPA, which is something different entirely."
I meant DRM in general. Palladium, TCPA, or just processor ID numbers.
"But how would a chinese chip with no DRM be any different from an Intel chip with DRM disabled?"
It's the slippery-slope theory. intel chips might allow you to disable DRM at first, and then just make it mandatory at some point. Buying from a manufacturer that leaves it out entirely means that other companies always have to keep that competitor in mind.
MHz *IS* everything to a design thats a clone of MIPS.
Your post just shows that how much you know or don't know about China. There are more women in top government positions than in the US.
"How are Intel and/or AMD chips "crippled"?"
They will be when DRM becomes mandatory.
"...how could it be competitive running at 500mhz?"
Intel thought the same thing about AMD for a long time. Then the K6-2/450 was released, it sold like crazy, and AMD actually beat intel in sales for one quarter. After that intel startking kicking their R&D's ass to get better CPUs out quicker, because competion had kicked in. It might take a while, but the Chinese have plenty of resources, and they WILL get to a point where their CPUs are competitive with American CPUs.
You don't ignore patent law when you want to eventually sell your products into Europe, America and the rest of the world.
Probably should have been written as "or Romanized as Longxin" (ie: translating the characters sort of by pronouncation/description into something that can be written using Roman/Latin characters).
:|
Dragon is probably the closest meaning/definition translation of the word.
I could be wrong though.
umm.... 5 dollars a cpu = HUGE multistacks of little mobos... I said this the first time the dragon was on slashdot.
Please say "Blah Blah, It isn't cost efficient." If you can run a 500mhz Dragon for 5 watts, and an Itanium for 130, why not run 26x500mhz Dragons? or kick it up a notch for 32x500mhz.
Also, if you need something real to look at and you can't understand why this is a good idea, have a look at a PC104 board.
Now Since I've discussed this in the desktop/server cluster end of the spectrum, imagine how this will help portable/wearable/embedded device technology, if their Desktop CPU is planned to run at 5 watts, imagine their portable CPU.
Well I don't know if I'd call a watered down 500mhz MIPS based chip "high powered". Maybe once you lash 128 of them together you'll have a decently powered box, but individually, it's way less than yesterdays tech.
I'm wondering how many computer users need the power of 128 64-bit CPUs to get their work done? On the desktop, my own observation has been that most of the raw CPU power growth during the past several years is being used for entertainment or GUI eye candy.
Certainly, there is a class of computable problems that comes in reach only with lots and lots of CPU horsepower. But to dismiss this CPU, created at this early stage in China's development as a chip-maker, seems short-sighted. This CPU will be useful for lots of tasks. And we haven't heard the last of these guys.
When all you have is an axe, everything looks like a grindstone.
Americans buying Chinese CPUs to protect their civil liberties? Now that would be rich...
On the other hand, you never know what they might do.
Wholy crap! Here's a most informative post that dismisses half of all these garbage posts...and it gets modded down to a 0? Once again, you slashdot moderators are morons!!!! Point and case...China took an open standard and implemented it. I commend them for using an open standard. Would it have been better that they created their own bastardized microcode language? Instead of you fools ripping on China for *stealing* someones idea, maybe you should be ripping on Intel for continuing to make ugly ass processors. I can't say anything bad about AMD since they at least try bring order to the ugly world of Intel.
Its alway funny to see someone from the US claim something as american. Even more so in Electronics and Computers.
Intel and AMD are Global , they have more employee outside of america then in america
And even more so Oustide of the US. And I dont mean in manufacturing plant only.
Globalization is affecting everyone but even more the US as no one do business there when its cheaper/better everywhere else.
They will be when DRM becomes mandatory.
IF. Not when, IF.
Don't be such a fatalist.
Your point about a population crunch may or may not be valid and the reason I question it is that China is reputed to have created about 250 million people living outside of the official society, a black-population if you will (a la black market not whatever racist crap just popped into some trolls head). As long as they have that number of people outside of control a population crucnh is unlikely except for in the official figures. Personally I await the day these people arrive in Bejing together and ask the government if they would like to mow them all down with their tanks or reconsider where they are going with their nation. Also it is currently estimated that the population should peak in 2050 at 1.6 billion, and as for a population decline, who knows but China could well have a far longer run in the limelight than you forsee.
Never underestimate the dark side of the Source
Am I the only one who gets a laugh out of what the west calls this processor? It's made in Communist China... Communism = bad... USSR... Red Dragon... ahhh forget it.
Cruster... That's a typical Engrish word, not Chinglish though.