A little voluntary based, self financed Open Hardware PowerPC notebook motherboard project could attract important changes in the Electronic Industry, inducing a Butterfly Effect. Open Hardware, Free Software and 3D Printing are game changer in the electronic industry; they could decentralize and democratize electronic manufacturing, acknowledgment and evenly distribute advantage factors. Starting with concrete examples, the OSWH PowerPC Notebook motherboard based on Cern Open Hardware License v 1.2 will be included. Fine tuning and fixing PowerPC 64bit Debian packages and FreeCad for design the Open Hardware Notebook Chassis will be presented.

1. The Butteryfly Effect of an OpenThe Butteryfly Effect of an Open
Hardware Notebook MotherboardHardware Notebook Motherboard

2. Power Progress Community. Is a non profit association,
registered in Italy, with members and collaborators all volunteer
and over the world
●
We push forward Free Software and Hardware.
●
We like diversity and indie-pendent architectures aiming
freedom of choice
●
Group purchase of technology
Who we areWho we are
Members of a project focused on Collaboration; Positive and
Human relations between members.
Code of ConductCode of Conduct

3. Our goalsOur goals
Designing open hardware, with prototypes, accessible to
the widest range of people
Allow the use of disused or available low-cost hardware
solutions also through the use of free software
Making people use free software
Help and promote innovation and scientific progress in view
of the variety of the offer, reducing the risks of monopoly
situations

4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_effect
The butterfly effect is the
sensitive dependence on
initial conditions in which
a small change in one
state of a deterministic
nonlinear system can
result in large differences
in a later state
Butterfly EffectButterfly Effect

5. Which way of the Hydraulic Wheel is
it going to turn?
Chaos
theory

6. You are the Drop that change the directionYou are the Drop that change the direction
of the processof the process

7. Dissipative structureDissipative structure
●
A dissipative structure is characterized by the spontaneous
appearance of symmetry breaking (anisotropy) and the formation of
complex, sometimes chaotic, structures where interacting particles
exhibit long range correlations.
●
Examples in everyday life include convection, turbulent flow,
cyclones, hurricanes and living organisms.
LifeLife
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissipative_system

8. The personal experience of theThe personal experience of the
Butterfly EffectButterfly Effect
●
light thoughts that we have taken by a breath of
indecision have made us discover a new life
●
Sometimes unforeseen events have brought us
together people who are important to our lives or have
given us access to new experiences.

9. ““Fractal” forksFractal” forks
manipulation power control
sharing collaboration help

10. ●
Sharing
●
Collaboration
●
Help and
assistance
●
Free Software
●
Open Source
Hardware
●
Transparent mission
and operation
●
The Control
●
The power
●
Handling
●
Proprietary
Software and Hardware
●
Hidden mission and operation
●
Knowledge and
Production
strategical
in the hands of a few
power groups
●
Knowledge and
Production
●
Distributed strategy
●
Balancing
of powers
Hardware and SoftwareHardware and Software
for a better life?for a better life?

11. Picture of InspiredImages from Pixabay

12. Free Software
Knowledge and
Production
Distributed strategy,
Balancing
of powers
GNU/Linux
distro
Debian
PPC64
Repo
Powerprogress.org
PowerPC
Notebook
Open Source
Hardware
Rivivo with
Scratch
Acube Slimbook
Open Notebook
Chassis
FreeCad
co-operation
Chain ofChain of
practices andpractices and
visions ofvisions of
sharing insharing in
softwaresoftware
andand
hardwarehardware

13. Running ProjectsRunning Projects

14. Rivivo with ScratchRivivo with Scratch
New life for school notebooks
We regenerate through a network of volunteers old
notebooks (otherwise destined to become R.A.E.E.)
to be provided to schools and used in education.

15. Open Source Laptop Chassis Designs
3D mechanical chassis design
with FreeCad
Blender Design

16. Support to Debian PPC64Support to Debian PPC64
Debian Repository available
Goal: Porting software to PPC64
The catalogue continues to grow:
●
Firefox, mplayer, Linux Kernel, table...
●
11 groups, 546 packages, total repository size
1943.37MB (1.9GB)
●
Built using a Power8 instance in OpenStack
hosted thanks to Oregon State University Open
Source Lab and OpenPower Foundation
http://repo.powerprogress.org/

17. The GNU/Linux PowerPCThe GNU/Linux PowerPC
Notebook ProjectNotebook Project

18. Technical specificationsTechnical specifications
CPU: NXP T208x, e6500 64-bit Power Architecture with Altivec technology
4 x e6500 dual-threaded cores, low-latency backside 2MB L2 cache, 16GFLOPS x core
RAM: 2 x RAM slots for DDR3L SO-DIMM
VIDEO: MXM 3 mobile video card interface
AUDIO: cmedia sound chip, audio in and audio out jacks
USB: 3.0 and 2.0 ports
STORAGE:
NVM Express (NVMe), M.2 2280 connector
2 x SATA
1 x SDHC card reader
NETWORK:
1 x ethernet RJ-45 connector
WiFi connectivity
Bluetooth connectivity
POWER: on-board battery charger and power-management
CHASSIS: Slimbook Eclipse notebook case 15,6”

19. The question some will be askingThe question some will be asking

20. Why not ARM?Why not ARM?
There are many projects using this
architecture already
We think it is established and
mainstream. We like diversity
It is closed and requires a license
https://twitter.com/mntmn/

21. And why not RISC-V?And why not RISC-V?
There are many FPGA cores
SoCs are currently arriving
●
MCU such as Kendryte k210
●
SiFive FU540
– 4 x 64 bit u54 cores
– FPU, MMU...
https://www.crowdsupply.com/
sifive/hifive-unleashed

22. It is a modern, up to date and innovative
architecture.
Interesting power efficiency for laptops
Is used in every sector.
OpenPOWER → Open architecture →
Opem ISA – no royalty
Why PowerPC?Why PowerPC?

23. Open Source ISAOpen Source ISA
RISC-V model is being followed: FPGA core
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_instruction_set_architectures#Instruction_sets
Open Source ISA delivered to the Linux Foundation

24. Open POWER ISA soft core FPGA
https://github.com/antonblanchard/microwatt
The Power ISA instruction
set is royalty-free.
There is an Open POWER
ISA softcore written in
VHDL 2008 that also runs
on very cheap FPGAs such
as Cmod A7-35T

25. Everyone can study, modify, build, distribute or even sell
either the project or hardware based on it.
●
Some parts could be non Open Source Hardware like some
components under NDA, in case vendors force us.
●
Open Source Hardware Certification
https://certification.oshwa.org/
– TAPR Open Hardware License vs CERN Hardware License
What is Open Source Hardware ?What is Open Source Hardware ?
Under
Under
study
study
Under
Under
study
study

26. Our Open Source Hardware Path
Objective: Certification of Oshwa
https://certification.oshwa.org/
Steps taken:
●
Advice from the NYU Technology Law and Policy
Clinic to make the project as open hardware as
possible.
●
Contact with Chip manufacturers for authorization to
distribute the project as Open Hardware
●
Publication of the electrical schematic ( Orcad
source) with Cern 1.2 License

27. Manufacturer AuthorizationsManufacturer Authorizations
C-Media
●
CM8828 HD-Audio controllers and CM9882A
codec family
●
They sent an evaluation badge to Acube.
●
They assure the availability of the chips for the
project.
NXP
●
Have authorized the publication of information in
Open Source documents

28. Notebook Chassis

29. Collaboration with SlimbookCollaboration with Slimbook
It all started here :)
●
Collaboration Slimbook ↔
Acube
●
Slimbook has sent information
about parts of the laptop
●
The schematics have been
adapted for this chassis

30. Chassis Slimbook EclipseChassis Slimbook Eclipse
Gaming Oriented
Allows us to use MXM
graphics

31. PowerPC
Open Source
Chassis
Open
Hardware
PCB
Design
Mother board
production
Acube Systems
Power
Progress
Community
Slimbook chassis
Power
Progress
Community
from PCB to Notebookfrom PCB to Notebook

32. Create the Butterfly EffectCreate the Butterfly Effect

33. ●
Optimize AMD graphic cards detectionOptimize AMD graphic cards detection
●
Optimize Compilation for Debian SidOptimize Compilation for Debian Sid
●
Compile, configure and test Latest Linux KernelsCompile, configure and test Latest Linux Kernels
●
Organize and publish our patchesOrganize and publish our patches
●
Collaborate with Debian PPC64 maintainersCollaborate with Debian PPC64 maintainers
Improve our Debian PPC64 RepoImprove our Debian PPC64 Repo

34. Your Creativity onYour Creativity on
●
Creation : multimedia designer to advertise (video, animations, images,
articles, etc…).
●
Hardware R&D Design and review
●
3D Mechanical Designs - Open Source Laptop Chassis
●
Translations : websites, social networks and software
●
Spreading the project : publish information on blogs, forums, socials,
handle users, organise advertising campaigns.
●
Law Assistance: to preserve Open Source Hardware license
●
Maintain, update, manage our software tools and services

35. SecondSecond
Donation CampaignDonation Campaign

36. 22ndnd
Donation CampaignDonation Campaign
●
We start from 11% of what is required thanks to recurring
donations.
●
We will verify the ritm of donations and the volume of recurring
donors before sign the Contract with Acube System to design
the PCB ( Printed Circuit Board)
●
Total for the campaign 24.000 €. Divided into two parts:
●
PCB Project [19.000 euro]
●
Fast SI bus simulations [5.000 euro]

37. What if it goes wrong?What if it goes wrong?
There will be a survey between all donators to decide to
which others association project use the funds.
Donations are free and non refundable (Italian law)

38. Donation campaign PhasesDonation campaign Phases
11
electrical schematicselectrical schematics
€€ 12.60012.600
22 PCB Printed Circuit BoardPCB Printed Circuit Board
Started on 12 October 2019
€€ 24.00024.000
33 5 prototypes5 prototypes €€ 10.50010.500
44 Hardware TestsHardware Tests €€14.00014.000
55 CE CertificationCE Certification €€ 12.50012.500
Started on 2 July 2017, completed on 7 June 2018,
Results in publication

39. Donate for the design
●
With the donations collected from the first campaign, the
components were financed and selected and the electrical
diagrams made.
●
For PCB Design we need to collect 24,000 euros; we are
at 4,067 euros, at 17% of the target.
17%
83%
PCB Donations
Received
To collect
Next will make
other campaigns
donations for
prototypes, testing
and necessary
certifications.

40. NXP T2080 rdb Development kitNXP T2080 rdb Development kit
At our exhibition tableAt our exhibition table

41. Decentralize and Democratize
Electronic Industry
●
All this process with Acube Systems that will produce in
small quantities our design could be demonstration
effect for many others little organization and company.
●
We hope that the Open Hardware Chassis Design will be
a starting point for others notebook project that need a
chassis to print and produce.

42. Thank You!Thank You!