The situation of Open Source and Close Source code could be handled if Genode continue to work on the Open Source bits and Qualcomm or close source vendors work on the Close Source bits.
The close source vendors can work with Genode to have an Open Source plugin api that is generic enough (note that Genode already has API) and request generic support for the API which their close source drivers can access. This way Genode and its API will always be Open Source which is permissible to other vendors without needing to NDA the Genode people.
For the vendors interested, please read the Genode API and the Genode PDF guide to create your Close/Open Source bridge between Genode and your hardware and firmware layers. On 29 Jul 2015 11:24, "Madhu (Macaque Labs)" <madhu@...275...> wrote:
I have recently become an advisor to a mobile handset OEM. They are willing to support genode efforts and since they are about a USD 1B in revenue, do have some clout with the OEMs (Mediatek and Qualcomm).
Qualcomm is also willing to support us directly but the problem is that while they are willing to release all data to support genode, it is under NDA. So cannot open source it. I guess the next best option is to have a closed binary module. Kind of what Nvidia did with its graphics drivers. Not a great option but better than nothing. I have been debating this with Qualcomm for a year now ! The good news is that OEM is willing to sell Genode based phones (with Android virtualized on top).
To overcome this issue, we at IIT-Madras have just finished development of a Freescale i.MX6 based tablet. This is currently under testing (first 5 protos have come). I hope to start giving out samples (to be procured directly from vendor, we do not charge any royalties or file any patents) in about 3-4 months. Cost will be around 350-400 USD (10 in IP screen, dual core, weighs about 480-520 g) This is a fully open system system. Next year we will replace the Cortex A9 with the i.MX8 (Cortex A-53). Will not be state of art but definitely a more than adequate tablet. Cortex A9 does not support full HW virtualization. The PCB comes with tamper detect signals brought out but case unfortunately has no reed switches yet, will have to do some mechanical work later. Secure, high assurance boot is fully enabled.
On Tue, Jul 28, 2015 at 8:11 PM, Sebastian Sumpf < Sebastian.Sumpf@...1...> wrote:
Hi Ben,
On 07/27/2015 05:42 PM, Nobody III wrote:
One possible target for Genode, aside from PCs and development boards, would be smartphones. The security measures tend to be "don't install this app if you don't want to give it these permissions." With Genode, this problem is easy to fix. Also, security exploits would be a lot harder. It seems to make sense to make a mobile operating system with Genode. We could use Cyanogenmod and/or Android code for app and hardware support. I have an old working android phone that I would be happy to use to test this, and will probably have another available within a few weeks. Note that there are no official Cyanogenmod ports for either device, but there might be an unofficial port for one of
them.
We already did this exemplary for Exynos 5250, which is the Samsung Galaxy S4 platform. Unfortunately, these platforms or SoCs are not very well documented, if at all (e.g., Snapdragon). With the only well documented SoC (Texas Instrument's OMAP) gone, smartphone platforms have become really really hard to deploy without having manufacturer support.
Cheers,
Sebastian
-- Sebastian Sumpf Genode Labs
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-- Regards, Madhu
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