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There is no chance that we own our computers unless we figure out how to setup chip manufacturing factories at the 10 million dollar price point. Without commo

There is no chance that we own our computers unless we figure out how to setup chip manufacturing factories at the 10 million dollar price point. Without commoditized hardware, big capital will surely be in control of software.

noosphr 1y ago
We live in a world where the top chip makers are being shaken down by the US government to keep access to markets because embargoes and tariffs. And where software developers have to have a live feed of what every user is doing to Brussels or be arrested. Too much capitalism isn't our problem.
- melagonster 1y ago
  Sounds like if US citizens hope for that, we can get it.
- rickdeckard 1y ago
  > And where software developers have to have a live feed of what every user is doing to Brussels or be arrested. Please elaborate, with sources.
  - conradev 1y ago
    Likely referring to EU Chat Control: https://brusselssignal.eu/2025/08/eu-chat-control-law-is-a-step-towards-mass-surveillance/ https://brusselssignal.eu/2025/08/eu-chat-control-law-is-a-s...
    - harph 1y ago
      So something that is not a thing yet, and is being actively campaigned against?
      - ekianjo 1y ago
        Most member states are for it.
      - mdp2021 1y ago
        Yes, we normally act when the vehicle speeding towards us is seen far away already.
rickdeckard 1y ago
I think there is also still room to legally require a common SW-layer with respective documentation to utilize features of underlying hardware (optional without the shipped OS on top, disconnecting the device from the shipped ecosystem). This would also make sense in order to prevent e-waste and put this old hardware to better use. It's crazy to think how much computing power is just added to a drawer or landfill every day, just because there is no reason for the vendor to allow you to repurpose it. I would e.g. LOVE a "Browser on everything" OS which just provides a Browser OS for outdated hardware, but the only way this could work on scale would be if the device-vendor would be mandated to provide and document the lower layer...
ozgrakkurt 1y ago
I can buy a computer, disable secure boot, install linux and then do w/e I want. Same can be true for phones?
- tedk-42 1y ago
  You didn't write the code for the bios, nor could you. There's always a degree to which the manufacturer has to.
  - fidelramos 1y ago
    What about Coreboot/Libreboot? https://www.coreboot.org/ https://www.coreboot.org/ https://libreboot.org/ https://libreboot.org/
    - ZiiS 1y ago
      Even with Coreboot on anything vaguely modern, there is a 'Management Engine' or 'Platform Security Processor' you can't practically control. On the better understood Intel versions, this is running a full MINIX 3 operating system and controls the network card in ways the BIOS and operating system root cannot monitor. It runs a significant amount of code; with hardware obfuscation that has not yet been broken.
      - fidelramos 1y ago
        You are right of course, but I consider that a hardware concern, not BIOS.
- subscribed 1y ago
  But I want" secure boot. It makes me* safer. For the same reason I relock bootloader after flashing alternative Android flavour on my phone.
- jacquesm 1y ago
  Sorry, no banking for you then.
SlowTao 1y ago
This is something the folks in the Permacomputing space have been discussing on and off for years. Maybe we can make chips at the level of a 386 but they would be freedom respecting. Starting to sound like Stallman again.
- ZiiS 1y ago
  https://github.com/x653/xv6-riscv-fpga https://github.com/x653/xv6-riscv-fpga is a fully open RISC-V core, using fully open tools written to tiny FPGA. It betters 386 performance, is practical for an individual to recreate, and it is almost inconceivable that the underlying hardware could have compromised this usage. If your security posture cares about ME et al. you also shouldn't be running any form of speculation, so 'modern' performance would be off the table even if you bought Nvidia and TSMC. I would more judge a concerted effort comparable to larger open source projects could design verifiable hardware for processes that it readily available to crowdfunded projects that are more efficient and performant then anything released in the previous millennium.

noosphr 1y ago

We live in a world where the top chip makers are being shaken down by the US government to keep access to markets because embargoes and tariffs. And where software developers have to have a live feed of what every user is doing to Brussels or be arrested. Too much capitalism isn't our problem.

melagonster 1y ago
Sounds like if US citizens hope for that, we can get it.
rickdeckard 1y ago
> And where software developers have to have a live feed of what every user is doing to Brussels or be arrested. Please elaborate, with sources.
- conradev 1y ago
  Likely referring to EU Chat Control: https://brusselssignal.eu/2025/08/eu-chat-control-law-is-a-step-towards-mass-surveillance/ https://brusselssignal.eu/2025/08/eu-chat-control-law-is-a-s...
  - harph 1y ago
    So something that is not a thing yet, and is being actively campaigned against?
    - ekianjo 1y ago
      Most member states are for it.
    - mdp2021 1y ago
      Yes, we normally act when the vehicle speeding towards us is seen far away already.

rickdeckard 1y ago

I think there is also still room to legally require a common SW-layer with respective documentation to utilize features of underlying hardware (optional without the shipped OS on top, disconnecting the device from the shipped ecosystem). This would also make sense in order to prevent e-waste and put this old hardware to better use. It's crazy to think how much computing power is just added to a drawer or landfill every day, just because there is no reason for the vendor to allow you to repurpose it. I would e.g. LOVE a "Browser on everything" OS which just provides a Browser OS for outdated hardware, but the only way this could work on scale would be if the device-vendor would be mandated to provide and document the lower layer...

ozgrakkurt 1y ago

I can buy a computer, disable secure boot, install linux and then do w/e I want. Same can be true for phones?

tedk-42 1y ago
You didn't write the code for the bios, nor could you. There's always a degree to which the manufacturer has to.
- fidelramos 1y ago
  What about Coreboot/Libreboot? https://www.coreboot.org/ https://www.coreboot.org/ https://libreboot.org/ https://libreboot.org/
  - ZiiS 1y ago
    Even with Coreboot on anything vaguely modern, there is a 'Management Engine' or 'Platform Security Processor' you can't practically control. On the better understood Intel versions, this is running a full MINIX 3 operating system and controls the network card in ways the BIOS and operating system root cannot monitor. It runs a significant amount of code; with hardware obfuscation that has not yet been broken.
    - fidelramos 1y ago
      You are right of course, but I consider that a hardware concern, not BIOS.
subscribed 1y ago
But I want" secure boot. It makes me* safer. For the same reason I relock bootloader after flashing alternative Android flavour on my phone.
jacquesm 1y ago
Sorry, no banking for you then.

SlowTao 1y ago

This is something the folks in the Permacomputing space have been discussing on and off for years. Maybe we can make chips at the level of a 386 but they would be freedom respecting. Starting to sound like Stallman again.

ZiiS 1y ago
https://github.com/x653/xv6-riscv-fpga https://github.com/x653/xv6-riscv-fpga is a fully open RISC-V core, using fully open tools written to tiny FPGA. It betters 386 performance, is practical for an individual to recreate, and it is almost inconceivable that the underlying hardware could have compromised this usage. If your security posture cares about ME et al. you also shouldn't be running any form of speculation, so 'modern' performance would be off the table even if you bought Nvidia and TSMC. I would more judge a concerted effort comparable to larger open source projects could design verifiable hardware for processes that it readily available to crowdfunded projects that are more efficient and performant then anything released in the previous millennium.