Raptor Computing Systems Hardware > Blackbird

Regular users issues

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eagle:

I whould like to buy your system to have a 100% open pc for security and privacy reason, i’m an average user i just know how to install linux on a pc and use it, no more no less, so there are things that stop me to buy it and i whould like to know if are you working on it.

I hope you could reply to my numerous questions

Hardware/firmware problems that stop me to buy it
_Updating the firmware is something i do not even understand, it’s just out of my capabilities. When will be possible to update it from “bios like x86” or from OS with an easy tool where i can download the firmware files and this tool will flash it just with a click or a “sudo fwupdate.py firmwarefile.bin”
_I’ve heard it take minutes to cold boot, is it true? I usually power on and off so i hope you will make the cold boot faster like x86 are
_Afaik the NIC firmware it was reversed engenereed but it still ship with the closed source version, do you know when the open firmware will be implemented by default on your systems?


Software problems/questions
_Do debian graphical installer work ootb? I’ve heard it has issues
_I know firefox JIT is a working progress, there are other incompatibilities should i be aware of? Reading this https://www.talospace.com/2019/12/firefox-71-on-power.html seems some addon wont work till JIT is complete there are any news on JIT someone else are gonna work on it to help Cameron Kaiser?
_ Reading https://wiki.raptorcs.com/wiki/Troubleshooting/GPU#Display_stuck_at_default_low_resolution_with_AST_HDMI_GPU
  Is this solution still required on debian stable? If not which kernel version will fix it?
_I know disable glamor is needed to make the video work correctly, it will be fixed on debian bullseye or in “Blackbird 2” hardware?
_Should be really nice to have on debian.org a ppc64le live cd, did you talked with them for make it happen or do you will make it available on your website?

“Blackbird 2” questions/nice to have
_As i wrote i’m interested to run open stuff only, so i will not use a discrete gpu, but i will use the AST included with mobo, but should be nice to have “more power” on the graphical side just to avoid the cpu to compute what usually do a gpu, but just for simple task as desktop enviroment accelleration and watching videos considering those are light tasks for a gpu probably a kind of 3d framebuffer could handle it freeing the cpu to process it because for the cpu are intensive tasks, do the ast2600 will help on that? If not are you aware on other solution for this kind of “weak” 3d accelleration? I think 90% of user will be just happy to this kind of acceleration without the need of proprietary gpu



What about european reseller? One year ago i’ve read on twitter you were in touch with vikings but since then no other news on this matter, could you say something? Do european have some chance to buy your components within the eu?

Hoping you could answer to all my questions, thanks for reading, and a special thanks to raptor to make open pc true and all the community that work on related software project

eagle:
Could someone ping a guy from raptor to have some answers please?
Thanks

SiteAdmin:
So, as I understand it we've answered some of these questions before, but probably would be a good idea to get the answers in a more public space. :)

Firmware updates are a known hassle.  We're working with IBM on a better update mechanism, but it's not our top priority at the moment.

Boot time is also something we try to improve, in conjunction with IBM and the overall community.  Progress is slowly being made there; it's all software/firmware, so you don't have to worry about any hardware changes required to improve boot speed.

We're waiting on the Broadcom firmware still; my understanding is there's one bit of setup that isn't fully understood yet, but once that's figured out we can switch over

Graphical installers are available and work.  Fedora just enabled workstation builds, see https://www.talospace.com/2020/01/fedora-workstation-live-isos-up-and.html for info.  Adelie has a workstation installer too: https://www.adelielinux.org/

Firefox is really the largest project to have a somewhat embarrassing lack of full support (specifically, the JIT).  Google has also continually refused to merge our POWER patches, though due to Chromium's popularity the POWER support has been reliably maintained anyway out of tree and in Ungoogled form as well, see https://github.com/leo-lb/ungoogled-chromium (and huge thanks to the maintainer for doing this!)

Yes, the HDMI fix is still required.  We don't have a kernel patch yet.

Regarding Glamor, that's a software problem.  There is no "Blackbird 2" planned for POWER9, and POWER10 is still a significant distance away.

So far as I know Vikings will be launching our products soon-ish.  I don't have exact timing, you could always write them and ask.  ;)

Does this answer your questions?

eagle:
Thank You very much for your reply, it's really appreciated

About firmware update also if is not on your top priority at the moment there is any chance to be "fixed" this year or will be something like "maybe in 5 years"?

As debian user i'm interested to know if debian grapgical installer work ootb and if you are talking with debian devs to have a ppc64le live iso too as x86 and arm, or if you will provide it on your website

For glamour it's someone care about to upstream the solution? Seem an easy fix to apply and will make the life easier for people like me
Same question for the hdmi kernel patch, someone is working on it?


Thanks again for your reply, i understand some "issue" i have are not a problem for expert people like you, but as "normal" user i whould like to have the same chance to use your system as tech savy people have right now, having the same experience/difficulty we have on x86, i hope all the "problems" i wrote will be fixed/addressed when blackbird2/power10 will be released, so i will be more confortable and relaxed to buy and be sure to use it without problems

odalman:

--- Quote from: SiteAdmin on January 12, 2020, 11:09:20 pm ---There is no "Blackbird 2" planned for POWER9
--- End quote ---
The Blackbird™ Secure Desktop has a Blackbird™ II uATX mainboard. Version II of the mainboard is only available in that bundle.

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