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The mission of the Freedom Project is to develop a new high-performance
64-bit CPU architecture, suitable for Personal Workstation use, and to implement
this architecture in the available process technology. The new F-CPU architecture
must support gcc and the Linux kernel (customizing these pieces of software
is part of the Freedom Project). The implementation(s) must also conform to
commodity PC technical requirements (e.g. an F-CPU mainboard has to fit in
a standard PC case, with a standard PC keyboard connector, standard PCI bus
connectors, etc.).
It is perhaps useful to mention development issues that are not part of
the Freedom Project, e.g.:
- Develop a new microcontroller-type 8, 12, 14 or 16-bit microprocessor (e.g.
PIC devices). Reason: outside the scope of the project.
- Develop yet another 32-bit RISC processor for low-power/low cost embedded
applications (e.g. ARM). Reason: there is an infinite variety of such processors
on the market now, with excellent characteristics.
- Develop new IC process technologies. Reasons: not feasible and outside
the scope of the project. In fact we want to use exactly the most cost-effective
technology available for each implementation of the F-CPU architecture.
- Build a foundry. Reasons: obvious.
- Develop a new compiler or OS kernel. Reasons: gcc and the Linux kernel
nowadays constitute a standard. Developing a new compiler and/or kernel would
mean throwing away years of development, and would present unsurmountable difficulties.
- Develop new PC standards. Reasons: not feasible and not needed.
This mission statement pretty much delimits the performance envelope of
the F1 implementation, and somehow also influences the final CPU architecture.
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