[RFC] Statement regarding AMD’s new architecture Zen

[Paul Menzel]

Dear coreboot folks,

AMD presented the new processor architecture *Zen* [1], which – from
the published reports – looks quite promising to be competitive to
Intel once again.

No devices are sold yet, but I guess they are already worked on.
(Hopefully, there will be also Google Chromebooks and Chromeboxes.)

Should the coreboot community publish a statement, asking AMD to make
it possible to fully initialize these devices with free software? Is
there somebody good in English writing, and knowledgeable of the
current state, able to draft something up?

For example, will there still be a Platform Security Processor (PSP)
[2], and SMU (System(?) Management Unit) [3]?

What does the statement need to contain?

1. Request for free documentation for all parts (chipset (RAM) init,
PSP, SMU, …)
2. User controllable signing keys
3. Reference to Intel’s involvement to coreboot

Nice to have:

4. Code contributions from AMD

What else is missing?

(I am well aware, that such a statement has a small chance to change
anything. But better try than not.)

Thanks,

Paul

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_%28microarchitecture%29
[2] https://www.coreboot.org/Binary_situation#recent_AMD

[coreboot] [RFC] Statement regarding AMD’s new architecture Zen

[Zoran Stojsavljevic]

> AMD presented the new processor architecture *Zen* [1], which – from
> the published reports – looks quite promising to be competitive to
> Intel once again.

Excellent. I wish this will come through. Accent on term
_competitive_. It would be (very) important lesson for arrogant CCG
INTEL directors, who were and still are brazenly picking for long
years on AMD, as weakest kid on the block/around the corner. If Zen
works out, it will erode already weakened DT and WS INTEL market.

But, hey... Not only Zen. ARM is picking up the market... True menace
for INTEL. This is Good. This is Right. More competition, less INTEL
unbelievable profit margins (now ~ 55/57% for DTs/WSs, will go down to
reasonable 20%, for now if Zen succeeds, don't you agree)!! :-))

If Zen passes, it would be one true lesson which INTEL will hardly
accept, but hey... Everything changes except rocks. And INTEL... Is a
(Jurassic) rock, isn't it? ;-)
_______

I read wiki page about Zen:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_%28microarchitecture%29

It seems that AMD is accepting reality that INTEL is with x86 CPU
architecture few steps ahead. Seems, AMD is trying to virtually mimic
IA (Intel Architecture)... Looks alike!?

Does this strategy buy some time/sharp edge for AMD?! I am not sure.
Time Will Tell! ;-)

Thank you,
Zoran