Re: [Savannah-hackers-public] GPL and “All rights r eserved”

[James Cloos]

>>>>> "KB" == Karl Berry <address@hidden> writes:

>> ASIC/FPGA mining (primary use) has no such limitations.

KB> What does "mining" mean here?  I searched around but could
KB> not figure it out.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitcoin_mining#Bitcoin_mining
has a good description.  Basically it is finding sha256 pre-images.
    
>>     Out of curiosity: I wonder whether anything that depends
>>     on FPGA may qualify as free software system.

KB> If the programmed chips, or instructions for the programming,
KB> are available, why not?  I'm sure I don't get it ...

Most (all?) FPGA chips have undisclosed bitstream formats.  One
typically (always?) has to use closed-source-ware for the final
stage of compilation.  I presume that is what he referred to.

-JimC
-- 
James Cloos <address@hidden>         OpenPGP: 1024D/ED7DAEA6