[coreboot] coreboot and embedded controllers, for example OLPC and its OpenEC code

Peter Stuge peter at stuge.se
Thu Jun 19 23:07:39 CEST 2008


On Thu, Jun 19, 2008 at 03:55:53PM -0500, bari wrote:
> Jordan Crouse wrote:
> > When done right, the embedded controller will be transparent to
> > coreboot.

How common is that in your experience?


> What is the ultimate dream here? To develop replacement open
> firmware for existing embedded controllers that have been used for
> years mainly in laptops and servers?

Yeah, in some cases..


> To develop open firmware for embedded controllers that oem's and
> odm's will use in new designs in the future?
> 
> I understand why someone that enjoys tinkering with laptops and
> servers might like this. I'm not sure that the odm's and oem's will
> be interested in an open solution unless it is very stable and very
> well supported.

Well there's still the binary blob problem.

If the EC has it's own firmware then coreboot just needs to know how
to cooperate with it, but for ones where EC firmware is stored in the
BIOS flash - there's a bit of a problem with coreboot..

Granted, those ECs don't seem to be so popular. (yet?)


Sorry - I don't remember which board or SMSC controller it was.
Hopefully Uwe will see this thread and fill in.


//Peter




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