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this post was submitted on 06 Apr 2025
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Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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I love that RiSC-V is already so well supported in the Linux kernel even though the hardware is not really out there yet. When decent hardware does arrive, a fairly mature ecosystem will be waiting for it.
Compare that to ARM which took quite a while. There is already more of a culture of getting device support into the mainline for RISC-V than for ARM even now.
I do think decent RISC-V kit is coming. The existing players like SciFive are getting there, we know big players like Qualcomm and Samsung have projects, and future disruptors like AheadComputing see RISC-V as their attack vector on the current industry. And for sure China is going to surprise with a decent RISC-V offering at some point—maybe Alibaba, maybe Huawei, or maybe someone else.
I’m still skeptical. The licensing model is certainly friendlier and I think that’s why more people are willing to give this a chance and put dev time into it. But the cost is still high and performance is trash.
I’m most interested in seeing what that team that splintered off intel to go all in on RISC-V come up with.
Performance is not the ISA. It is just the culmination of historical investment. It will get there.
Remember, it is not about licensing costs, it is about minimizing risk and maximizing flexibility (control).
Open always wins.