4 ms·
> Computer architecture and computer security researchers have worked with closed licensing ISAs for years and it hasn't stopped them finding issues. I think
by rhn_mk1 4y ago
> Computer architecture and computer security researchers have worked with closed licensing ISAs for years and it hasn't stopped them finding issues.
I think this is kind of backwards. You want people to have access and find issues, so that you can correct them. Opening the ISA solves one half of this problem: access and finding.
- ribit 4y agoWhy is open ISA better in respect to this than simply documented ISA? Is this about public availability of reference implementations or some sort of validation tools?
- SanjayMehta 4y agoAn open ISA merely allows anyone to implement their own core without worrying about getting sued.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]
- gchadwick 4y agoWell take arm and x86, plenty of research papers done on these (e.g. the original speculative execution attacks) but they are closed licensing. Were the ISA specifications also fully closed (i.e. no reading without an NDA, strict restrictions on any published research even if you did get access etc), then yes that would be an impediment, but practically that's not what we see.