Re: News : ARM Trying to Buy AmperComputing

On 1/16/25 6:58 PM, rbowman wrote:

On 17 Jan 2025 07:35:47 +1000, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:
 

Finding the minimum-power ARM chip able to run Linux would be an
interesting exercise. I gather Linux requires a minimum set of ARM
extensions, as well as an MMU, which may exclude many of the SoC options
intended for embedded applications. Software is as much of the problem
as hardware.

 ARM processors fall into three rough classes, A, M, and R. A is the
general purpose design like the Cortex A76 in the current Raspberry Pi 5,
while M is the microprocessors like the Cortex M33 in the Pico 2. The R is
real-time variant. I don't have an example of where they are currently
used.
 That is further complicated by multi-core designs where some of the cores
are optimized for low power consumption or to really confuse the issue the
RP2350 with two ARM cores and two RISC-V cores.

   That's actually a very clever design - copes with
   both universes !  :-)
   How smoothly the disparate cores work together, dunno.

The Raspberry Pi 5 runs Raspberry Pi )S, a Debian derivative, very nicely.
People have tried other distros with mixed success. The Pis have been A
series.
 People with a lot of time on their hands have run Linux, sort of, on the
RP2350.
 https://liliputing.com/you-can-run-a-minimal-linux-distro-on-raspberry-
pis-new-rp2350-microcontroller/
 Choices will need to be made with the hardware design but I don't see the
software as being the limitation.

   With these things, it's the intended application that's
   the relevant factor. Maybe you can't run Linux on some
   of the chips but there's usually some cut-down substitute
   that'll get yer job done. Seriously MICRO microcontrollers,
   well, it's still gonna be ASM and 'C' - more like Arduinos
   and PICs. Can't fit an OS into everything ...
   For 'general purpose' though, you really want Linux/BSD.