Re: gEDA-user: FWD: Applying for GSoC2009

["LiuSha" <sandyleo26@xxxxxxxxx>]

   Michael Sokolov [1]msokolov@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:


   >Are you saying that you (your university group I guess) have fabbed
   your

   >own FPGA silicon?  Is it open source?  Is it comparable in
   capabilities

   >to the major commercial FPGAs like Brand A or Brand X?


   yes, it is fabbed out but not open source. The whole program flow is
   more like VPR(Toronto U),

   though. But it has all the way programs from design entry to bit
   generation, although every program in

   it needs lots of improvement, both in functions or in user-friendly
   aspect.



   >As you may know the biggest bone in the throat of Open Source
   Hardware

   >is the secret nature of the configuration bitstream format for Brand
   A

   >and Brand X FPGAs.  Right now the only way to put your logic design
   into

   >a programmable logic device that's more capable than a 22V10 is to
   use

   >closed source software from A or X.  One can use open source tools
   like

   >Icarus Verilog to compile your RTL source into an EDIF netlist, but
   one

   >still has to then use the FPGA vendor's proprietary closed source

   >software for place&route and the actual bit file generation.  We
   can't

   >make an FOSS replacement for those proprietary tools because the

   >configuration bit format and even more fundamentally the precise

   >internal structure of the FPGA's logic and routing resources are
   secret.



   >Is ANYONE out there working on making a new FPGA that would be at
   least

   >somewhat comparable to A & X in capabilities, but have a fully
   publicly

   >documented internal structure and configuration bit format?


   I think there is a little misunderstanding here.

   I mention my related work not for suggesting a new FOSS project in
   FPGA software.

   Just like you said, there're so many limitations and so less document
   on it(Although there

   are still some kind of projects in U of Toronto and U of Berkley which
   are just for academic studies).

   I just want to introduce myself to this group briefly. So don't take
   it seriously :--)


   And FYI,my boss will kill anyone who dare to leak his source. However
   you can visit the

   Brand X website to download lots of manuals about internal structure
   and configuration

   bit format for free. Although they are sort of roughly stated, they'll
   give many ideas if you

   never read them before.


   P.S: can you please tell me how to quote other people's mail using `>'
   and add "someone [2]xxx@xxxxxxx wrote:"

   at the begging , or you just manually add them at the head of every
   line in the paragraph like me.

   I use the MS outlook ,by the way.


   --

   Best Regards!


   Liu SHa

References

   1. mailto:msokolov@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
   2. mailto:xxx@xxxxxxx


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