IBM Open-Sources Power Chip Instruction Set (nextplatform.com)

Article summary

IBM has open-sourced the instruction set architecture of its Power family of processors, allowing companies to create their own Power-based chips without paying royalties. The OpenPower Foundation, which IBM formed with other companies, will oversee the development of the Power ecosystem. This move is seen as a way to increase adoption of the Power architecture and create a more open and collaborative community around it. The Power ISA is being given away royalty-free, and a softcore model of the Power ISA has been implemented on FPGAs for experimentation.

Main themes

• Open Source Hardware
• Power Architecture
• IBM
• RISC-V
• Processor Design

What commenters say

• The open-sourcing of Power ISA may limit its appeal to hobbyists due to the complexity of the architecture.
• The Power9 chip's SMT4 mode is similar to Bulldozer, but with key differences that set it apart.
• The effectiveness of SMT4 depends on the workload, and it can be beneficial for pointer-chasing workloads but counterproductive for others.
• The decision to open-source Power ISA is seen as a positive step towards creating a more open and collaborative community around the architecture.
• Some commenters are skeptical about the potential for widespread adoption of Power-based systems due to the dominance of x86 and Arm architectures.
• The Power9 chip's power efficiency is a significant advantage over older systems, making it a viable option for cloud-scale providers.
• The open-sourcing of Power ISA may lead to increased innovation and competition in the processor market, potentially benefiting consumers and the industry as a whole.