Sun Opens Chip Documentation and Appoints an Ombudsman
Sun has publicly released developer hardware for older proprietary hardware on a Wiki site entitled "FOSS Open Hardware Documentation".
The new site is designed as an addition to the documentation for Sun's current processors on the OpenSparc website. Before releasing the manuals, Sun is checking if they infringe on third-party rights. The Wiki site offers PDF documentation of older chipsets and controllers, and links to the source code of existing implementations in OpenSolaris and OpenBSD, following cooperation between David Gwynne from the OpenBSD project and Sun.
The Open Source Ombudsman will handle requests for documentation. Sun has set up this new role whose holder will liaise between free software projects and the corporation, passing anonymized requests from the community to the right people within the company.
The Ombudsman will be a personal contact for Open Source projects to avoid misunderstandings such as the purported revocation of the FreeBSD Java license in 2004, writes Sun's Open Source boss Simon Phipps in his blog. Phipps is currently acting Ombudsman.
Issue 252/2021
Buy this issue as a PDF
News
-
Canonical Extends Support For Ubuntu 14.04 and 16.04
The company behind Ubuntu offered a much-needed lifeline to those who still depend on older versions of the open-source operating system.
-
GNOME 41 Has Arrived
The latest version of the GNOME desktop environment has been released with new functionality and plenty of improvements.
-
System76 Updates the 15" Pangolin with Ryzen
System76 announced they’re updating the Ryzen-powered Pangolin laptop to meet today’s need for more power.
-
KDE Plasma 5.23 Promises Plenty of Subtle Improvements
The next release of the KDE Plasma desktop includes new features, numerous improvements, and plenty of bug fixes.
-
GNOME 41 Beta is Now Available
The most popular open-source desktop environment is on the cusp of yet another new release, but don’t expect the massive changes found in the previous iteration.
-
Debian 11 “Bullseye” Now Available
The developers of Debian have released the latest version of the operating system so many distributions depend on.
-
Elementary OS 6 Odin Now Available
The developers of elementary OS have released their latest iteration which is all-in on Flatpaks and all about the user experience.
-
Kubuntu Focus Team Announces High-Performance Focus XE
The team behind the KDE-powered Linux laptops is now offering an ultra-portable laptop that doesn't skimp on performance.
-
Solus 4.3 Available for Download and Installation
The latest iteration from the Solus developers is out with kernel 5.13 and plenty of new features, bug fixes, and new hardware support.
-
Steam Deck Linux-Powered Gaming System Set to Take Over the Handheld World
A Linux and KDE-powered portable gaming platform is set to be released by Valve.