11 ms·

TERES I DIY Open Source Hardware and Software Hacker-friendly laptop is complete

96 points by buserror 10y ago

mkesper 10y ago
You had better timing than me! https://olimex.wordpress.com/2017/02/01/teres-i-do-it-yourself-open-source-hardware-and-software-hackers-friendly-laptop-is-complete/ https://olimex.wordpress.com/2017/02/01/teres-i-do-it-yourse...
pjc50 10y ago
.. listed as "out of stock", so either you've all already bought one or they're not quite released yet. Still, a nice piece of kit at a very reasonable price.
- metafex 10y ago
  It's just not quite released yet. They still need to sort out the software, but the hardware is finished: https://olimex.wordpress.com/2017/02/01/teres-i-do-it-yourself-open-source-hardware-and-software-hackers-friendly-laptop-is-complete/ https://olimex.wordpress.com/2017/02/01/teres-i-do-it-yourse...
the_duke 10y ago
It actually looks really sleek.
tyfon 10y ago
This is really cool, I wonder if they will offer a prebuilt one too. If so, I will buy one immediately. I am really fat fingered so I guess I would break something during the assembly. The price is also excellent although I wish it had more RAM/storage.
metafex 10y ago
As a owner of a novena laptop, I'm always happy to see other OSHW laptops. Though the thing with the TERES-I is, it just doesn't seem to be made for daily use. There is only 1GB of RAM, no (m)SATA, the eMMC is rather small and the only expansion seems to be a uSD card. Even something like the eMMC modules the people from hardkernel put on their boards would up the usability quite a bit. I'd love to like it, but I'll have to continue searching for something 64Bit ARM I can just toss into my backpack to play and tinker with on the go.
- unwind 10y ago
  I just read through the assembly instructions (it's delivered in kit forms, looks like a great adventure to put together) and didn't see any mention of an eMMC module. I guess that means it's pre-soldered to the motherboard, and the TERES-PCB1-A64[1] spare part page does list it. So, perhaps not super-easy to upgrade that, then. :/ [1] https://www.olimex.com/Products/DIY%20Laptop/SPARE%20PARTS/TERES-PCB1-A64/ https://www.olimex.com/Products/DIY%20Laptop/SPARE%20PARTS/T...
rasz_pl 10y ago
You could (well couldnt, all listed out of stock) have this, or Lenovo X220 with IPS screen Edit: with 8GB ram and 32GB mSata SSD, still <240Euro.
- CaptSpify 10y ago
  But an X220 wouldn't be open-source. That's kind of missing the entire point.
  - rasz_pl 10y ago
    it would with coreboot https://www.reddit.com/r/thinkpad/comments/5p3mpm/how_to_flash_coreboot_on_x220_and_neuter_intel/ https://www.reddit.com/r/thinkpad/comments/5p3mpm/how_to_fla... + https://github.com/hamishcoleman/thinkpad-ec https://github.com/hamishcoleman/thinkpad-ec for EC sourcecode besides Allwinner A64 = tons of binary blobs, often containing gpled code and openly violating open source licenses
    - CaptSpify 10y ago
      > it would with coreboot Not really. This is built using open-source hardware as well as software.
      - mixedCase 10y ago
        This open source hardware requires closed source blobs, so in the end there's not much point in it.
        CaptSpify 10y ago
        I don't disagree with you, but that doesn't detract that the hardware is open-source.
      - rasz_pl 10y ago
        which part of Allwinner A64 SoC is open? Do you mean the open source code Allwinner packaged into their binary blobs loaded into black boxes on the chip (like image coprocessor)? Meanwhile I have full X220 schematic + boardview, EC (system management controller) source code (dissembled, but still), full bios source, and the best build quality money can buy right now (1). (1) some might argue Apple, but those people dont repair laptops ;-)
kop316 10y ago
I could not find anywhere what binary dependencies this has, and I would be very curious about that since it is advertising "Open SOurce Software". Looking at the specs, it looks like the SoC is an Allwinner A64. Looking up how open source friendly the A64 is lead me to this: http://linux-sunxi.org/A64 http://linux-sunxi.org/A64 From there: "In the current A64 SDK, lots of blobs are included in kernel and U-Boot, including the critical DRAM code and the important HDMI code. " Does anyone know how true that is?
- jononor 10y ago
  The offical SDKs from manufacturers basically always contains blobs and forks - then the community fixes it over time. But A64 is still heavily work-in-progress, it seems: http://linux-sunxi.org/Linux_mainlining_effort#Status_Matrix http://linux-sunxi.org/Linux_mainlining_effort#Status_Matrix
- gravypod 10y ago
  This might shed some light on the software side of things: https://github.com/OLIMEX/DIY-LAPTOP/tree/master/SOFTWARE/A64-TERES https://github.com/OLIMEX/DIY-LAPTOP/tree/master/SOFTWARE/A6...
  - cryptarch 10y ago
    It's still full of blobs, so a no-buy I guess. I'm really excited for the first laptop to ship without blobs. These... I can run a system full of blobs already, I just have to buy any laptop on NewEgg or whatever and put Linux on it.
    - gravypod 10y ago
      I'd guess this is funding the people writing the drivers and software to replace those blobs
      - cryptarch 10y ago
        I can't find any evidence supporting that. It's cool that the PCB is open, but to me the software on the chips is a lot more important.
TempleOS 10y ago
TempleOS is banned from anything less than Core i7. It slows down the herd. TempleOS is for Xeon supercomputer desktops.
ocschwar 10y ago
I want to buy one and like it, but 4GB is not much when you're using git and flitting around different projects on github. Otherwise the limitation would be a good thing, in forcing me to back up early and often and not waste my time with videos and picture memes.
- jasonkostempski 10y ago
  At first I thought you were talking about RAM and thought you were crazy. Can anything run with 4GB storage? Why is it so small? Can it be upgraded?
  - ocschwar 10y ago
    Oh, my, pass the Geritol. I remember having to contend with a 5MB storage quota in school. My fraternity had to impose a policy of not discussing contentious things over email at the end of a semester, so people's quotas would not fill up with flamacious threads. 1GB is enough to store the entire keyboard&mouse input record of a human lifetime. If you;re not editing pictures, video, or audio, then there's only one reason why your 4GB of drive space would fill up so quickly: git. But if it's easy to upgrade the eMMC storage, then it's all moot. Move up to 16GB, and you can run git clone with abandon again.
    - colomon 10y ago
      Young whippersnapper. I remember when a 170K floppy for storage was a huge improvement, because at least it was random access...
fest 10y ago
I can't check the schematics on the phone but does it really lack any GPIO expansion connector? The main reason I built a DIY-laptop-like-contraption[0] was to have a self-contained box with various low level interfaces conveniently accesible. 0: http://wot.lv/my-take-on-a-custom-laptop.html http://wot.lv/my-take-on-a-custom-laptop.html

96 points by buserror 10y ago

You had better timing than me! https://olimex.wordpress.com/2017/02/01/teres-i-do-it-yourself-open-source-hardware-and-software-hackers-friendly-laptop-is-complete/ https://olimex.wordpress.com/2017/02/01/teres-i-do-it-yourse...

pjc50 10y ago

.. listed as "out of stock", so either you've all already bought one or they're not quite released yet. Still, a nice piece of kit at a very reasonable price.

metafex 10y ago
It's just not quite released yet. They still need to sort out the software, but the hardware is finished: https://olimex.wordpress.com/2017/02/01/teres-i-do-it-yourself-open-source-hardware-and-software-hackers-friendly-laptop-is-complete/ https://olimex.wordpress.com/2017/02/01/teres-i-do-it-yourse...

the_duke 10y ago

It actually looks really sleek.

tyfon 10y ago

This is really cool, I wonder if they will offer a prebuilt one too. If so, I will buy one immediately. I am really fat fingered so I guess I would break something during the assembly. The price is also excellent although I wish it had more RAM/storage.

metafex 10y ago

As a owner of a novena laptop, I'm always happy to see other OSHW laptops. Though the thing with the TERES-I is, it just doesn't seem to be made for daily use. There is only 1GB of RAM, no (m)SATA, the eMMC is rather small and the only expansion seems to be a uSD card. Even something like the eMMC modules the people from hardkernel put on their boards would up the usability quite a bit. I'd love to like it, but I'll have to continue searching for something 64Bit ARM I can just toss into my backpack to play and tinker with on the go.

unwind 10y ago
I just read through the assembly instructions (it's delivered in kit forms, looks like a great adventure to put together) and didn't see any mention of an eMMC module. I guess that means it's pre-soldered to the motherboard, and the TERES-PCB1-A64[1] spare part page does list it. So, perhaps not super-easy to upgrade that, then. :/ [1] https://www.olimex.com/Products/DIY%20Laptop/SPARE%20PARTS/TERES-PCB1-A64/ https://www.olimex.com/Products/DIY%20Laptop/SPARE%20PARTS/T...

rasz_pl 10y ago

You could (well couldnt, all listed out of stock) have this, or Lenovo X220 with IPS screen Edit: with 8GB ram and 32GB mSata SSD, still <240Euro.

CaptSpify 10y ago
But an X220 wouldn't be open-source. That's kind of missing the entire point.
- rasz_pl 10y ago
  it would with coreboot https://www.reddit.com/r/thinkpad/comments/5p3mpm/how_to_flash_coreboot_on_x220_and_neuter_intel/ https://www.reddit.com/r/thinkpad/comments/5p3mpm/how_to_fla... + https://github.com/hamishcoleman/thinkpad-ec https://github.com/hamishcoleman/thinkpad-ec for EC sourcecode besides Allwinner A64 = tons of binary blobs, often containing gpled code and openly violating open source licenses
  - CaptSpify 10y ago
    > it would with coreboot Not really. This is built using open-source hardware as well as software.
    - mixedCase 10y ago
      This open source hardware requires closed source blobs, so in the end there's not much point in it.
      - CaptSpify 10y ago
        I don't disagree with you, but that doesn't detract that the hardware is open-source.
    - rasz_pl 10y ago
      which part of Allwinner A64 SoC is open? Do you mean the open source code Allwinner packaged into their binary blobs loaded into black boxes on the chip (like image coprocessor)? Meanwhile I have full X220 schematic + boardview, EC (system management controller) source code (dissembled, but still), full bios source, and the best build quality money can buy right now (1). (1) some might argue Apple, but those people dont repair laptops ;-)

kop316 10y ago

I could not find anywhere what binary dependencies this has, and I would be very curious about that since it is advertising "Open SOurce Software". Looking at the specs, it looks like the SoC is an Allwinner A64. Looking up how open source friendly the A64 is lead me to this: http://linux-sunxi.org/A64 http://linux-sunxi.org/A64 From there: "In the current A64 SDK, lots of blobs are included in kernel and U-Boot, including the critical DRAM code and the important HDMI code. " Does anyone know how true that is?

jononor 10y ago
The offical SDKs from manufacturers basically always contains blobs and forks - then the community fixes it over time. But A64 is still heavily work-in-progress, it seems: http://linux-sunxi.org/Linux_mainlining_effort#Status_Matrix http://linux-sunxi.org/Linux_mainlining_effort#Status_Matrix
gravypod 10y ago
This might shed some light on the software side of things: https://github.com/OLIMEX/DIY-LAPTOP/tree/master/SOFTWARE/A64-TERES https://github.com/OLIMEX/DIY-LAPTOP/tree/master/SOFTWARE/A6...
- cryptarch 10y ago
  It's still full of blobs, so a no-buy I guess. I'm really excited for the first laptop to ship without blobs. These... I can run a system full of blobs already, I just have to buy any laptop on NewEgg or whatever and put Linux on it.
  - gravypod 10y ago
    I'd guess this is funding the people writing the drivers and software to replace those blobs
    - cryptarch 10y ago
      I can't find any evidence supporting that. It's cool that the PCB is open, but to me the software on the chips is a lot more important.

TempleOS 10y ago

TempleOS is banned from anything less than Core i7. It slows down the herd. TempleOS is for Xeon supercomputer desktops.

ocschwar 10y ago

I want to buy one and like it, but 4GB is not much when you're using git and flitting around different projects on github. Otherwise the limitation would be a good thing, in forcing me to back up early and often and not waste my time with videos and picture memes.

jasonkostempski 10y ago
At first I thought you were talking about RAM and thought you were crazy. Can anything run with 4GB storage? Why is it so small? Can it be upgraded?
- ocschwar 10y ago
  Oh, my, pass the Geritol. I remember having to contend with a 5MB storage quota in school. My fraternity had to impose a policy of not discussing contentious things over email at the end of a semester, so people's quotas would not fill up with flamacious threads. 1GB is enough to store the entire keyboard&mouse input record of a human lifetime. If you;re not editing pictures, video, or audio, then there's only one reason why your 4GB of drive space would fill up so quickly: git. But if it's easy to upgrade the eMMC storage, then it's all moot. Move up to 16GB, and you can run git clone with abandon again.
  - colomon 10y ago
    Young whippersnapper. I remember when a 170K floppy for storage was a huge improvement, because at least it was random access...

fest 10y ago

I can't check the schematics on the phone but does it really lack any GPIO expansion connector? The main reason I built a DIY-laptop-like-contraption[0] was to have a self-contained box with various low level interfaces conveniently accesible. 0: http://wot.lv/my-take-on-a-custom-laptop.html http://wot.lv/my-take-on-a-custom-laptop.html