[coreboot] Minifree Libreboot D16 server/workstation launched

Taiidan at gmx.com Taiidan at gmx.com
Sat Dec 31 09:07:58 CET 2016


On 12/30/2016 09:19 AM, Leah Rowe wrote:

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> Hi all,
>
> Minifree has launched a new freedom-friendly computer. Two, in fact.
>
> Desktop/workstation version:
> https://minifree.org/product/libreboot-d16/
>
> Server version:
> https://minifree.org/product/libreboot-d16-server/
>
> This is a high-end AMD server platform, being sold in server and
> extended ATX (desktop/workstation) form factor. It comes with Debian
> and Libreboot preinstalled.
>
> This is the first modern commercial system available today that can be
> configured to run entirely free software; first Debian, the OS, and
> then libreboot, a free/libre BIOS implementation. With Debian and
> Libreboot, this is a fully free system containing zero binary blobs of
> any kind.
>
> This has positive implications for security in terms of audability,
> and therefore privacy in general (no backdoors!). It's also free
> software friendly, so there are zero binary blobs and zero proprietary
> software running on it in the OS or BIOS. You have all of the four
> freedoms over each part of the boot process, which means that you the
> user are in full control.
>
> For the first time ever, it is possible for companies to use
> libreboot-enabled hardware.
>
> The problem so far with Libreboot and Minifree is that it only
> focussed on low-end hardware. The launch of the D16 Server and D16
> Desktop changes that. With this hardware you can:
>
> * do actual, serious work e.g. programming or 3D modeling. Software
> development nowadays requires powerful computers, because software
> becomes more complex. The sheer amount of time to build from source
> can be a problem on its own. The D16 can support up to 16 fast AMD
> Opteron cores per CPU, and 2 CPUs are possible so 32 cores in total.
> This is ideal for software development.
> * provide professional hosting services for paying clients, and run a
> small ISP
> * provide servers inside organisations
> * play modern games (libre ones)
> * etc (anything that requires a fast computer, basically)
>
> Spread the word!
>
> - -- 
> Leah Rowe
>
> Libreboot developer
>
> Use free software. Free as in freedom.
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_software
>
> Use a free operating system, GNU+Linux.
> https://libreboot.org/docs/distros/
> Or BSD:
> https://libreboot.org/docs/bsd/
>
> Use a free BIOS.
> https://libreboot.org/
>
> Support computer user freedom.
> https://peers.community/
>
> Minifree Ltd, trading as Ministry of Freedom | Registered in England,
> No. 9361826 | VAT No. GB202190462
> Registered Office: 19 Hilton Road, Canvey Island, Essex SS8 9QA, UK |
> Web: https://minifree.org/
>
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It supports IOMMU for graphics, which you should note as this is a 
popular feature these days.
(proper support including interrupt remapping and PCI-e ACS, unlike the 
intel platforms from the same era)

I play the latest games at high settings in a windows VM with 8 cores 
assigned and 25-30% usage of those 8 cores.
The only problem is the lack of pci-e slots, most sites claim 5 when 
there are only 4 usable at any time (which are all 2.0, x8, x16 x16 and 
x4) although I suppose that could be solved with a pci-e external 
expansion system.



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