Difference between revisions of "Balthazar"

Latest revision as of 11:05, 1 October 2022

a Personal Computing Device

One laptop for the new internet.

Secure, fast, inexpensive, open, robust, upgradeable, and sustainable. All of that.

BPCD - Balthazar Personal Computing Device is a 13.3" upgradable and expandable laptop that is based on a few concepts inspired by EOMA68, but powered by RISC-V processor(s) open architecture or FPGA boards running emulation as a Computing Module Standard boards and other Systems on a Module that run on Linux OS or all of those running together with added co-processing power such as FPGA Lattice Diamond - ULX3S.

It contains all the hardware and continuously developing software and firmware features preventing data-theft and any unwanted 3rd party intrusion into the system by default. It should run default low-level security layer software based on LUKS , Libreswan and is also envisaged to be GNUnet ready. Its keyboard should be also inter-swappable with known x2xx ThinkPad keyboard replacement via developed adapter and a frame.

While being versatile and robust it also follows CERN OSHL, GNU-GPL, FOSS, ISA and even CC guidelines.

What is all that FOSS and CC and OS…? → Glossary

For all children age 9-99.

Want to know more?

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-== <strong>Balthazar - a Personal Computing Device</strong> ==
+__NOTOC__
+== <center><strong>a Personal Computing Device</strong></center> ==
+<center><strong><big>One laptop for the new internet.</big></strong></center>
-<strong>One laptop for the new internet.</strong>
-<strong>Secure, fast, inexpensive. Pick all three.</strong><br>
+<center>Secure, fast, inexpensive, open, robust, upgradeable, and sustainable. All of that.</center>
-BPCD - Balthazar Personal Computing Device is a 13.3" laptop based on RiscV processor(s) that contains all the hardware and software features and precautions to prevent any 3rd party intrusion into the system.
-While being versatile and robust it also strictly follows CC, GNU-GPL, FOSS and EOMA guidelines.<br>
-<strong>Why yet another laptop?</strong><br>
+[[File:P3.resized.png|center|prototype]]
+<gallery mode=packed>
+File:P1.resized.png|thumb|
+File:P2.resized.png|thumb|
+File:P4.resized.png|thumb|
+</gallery>
-It is very expensive to buy an “advanced” or a secure laptop and it comes with usually "customised" and mostly propitiatory software that bounds a user to a manufacturer, this is where BPCD comes in at the most possible lowest price that should be available to everyone from an individual up to a large institutions.<br>
+'''BPCD''' - '''B'''althazar '''P'''ersonal '''C'''omputing '''D'''evice is a '''13.3"''' upgradable and expandable laptop that is based on a few concepts inspired by  '''[https://www.crowdsupply.com/eoma68/micro-desktop/updates/2-7-5-cards-under-way-nlnet-and-intel-compute-card EOMA68]''', but powered by  [https://riscv.org/ RISC-V] processor(s) open architecture or FPGA boards running emulation as a Computing Module Standard boards and other Systems on a Module that run on '''[https://www.linux.org Linux OS]''' or all of those running together with added co-processing power such as FPGA Lattice Diamond - [https://radiona.org/ulx3s/ ULX3S].
-<strong>But we have already have inexpensive netbooks, picturebooks, tablets, Chromebooks and alike!</strong><br>
+It contains all the hardware and continuously developing software and firmware features preventing data-theft and any unwanted 3<small>rd</small> party intrusion into the system by default. It should run default low-level security layer software based on [https://gitlab.com/cryptsetup/cryptsetup/blob/master/README.md '''LUKS''' ], [https://libreswan.org/ '''Libreswan'''] and is also envisaged to be '''[http://GNUnet.org/en/about.html GNUnet]''' ready. Its keyboard should be also inter-swappable with known x2xx ThinkPad keyboard replacement via developed adapter and a frame.
-Google, Samsung, Acer, Dell and the other respective partners did indeed made inexpensive and lightweight laptops, but they are locked in a certain software and hardware ecosystems and actually offer not so many security features while appearing less flexible towards full FOSS, GNU-GPL and EOMA guidelines that we want to set as another standard. That ethical standard is not based on a profit, but on protecting and also educating population on how not to voluntary disseminate their data all over the interwebs, being used as a bait for large companies that take an advantage of such unconsciousness and irresponsible behaviour.<br>
+While being versatile and robust it also follows '''CERN OSHL''', '''GNU-GPL''',  '''FOSS''',  '''ISA''' and even '''CC''' guidelines.
-Also those do not work without the internet, so the reputation of such devices is often seen as a "personal data collecting devices", so that doesn't help to create a positive image towards such products.<br>
+<small>What is all that FOSS and CC and OS…?</small> '''→''' [[Glossary]]<br>
-BPCD is aimed to inexpensively enable end-user to control all the inputs via physical hardware switches and security dongles, preventing even a remote possibility to have system invaded or spied on by any 3rd party. <br>
-It is <strong>NOT</strong> OLPC-alike, but it does follow some of OLPC product design innovations and features, adopted and improved for today’s performance requirements focusing on privacy, safety and personal data protection and encrypted shared data or a retention of the same in its own “cloud”.<br>
-<strong>But Cloud is cool and hype.</strong><br>
-Remember - a “Cloud” is just other people’s or corporations’ computers that store your data that you "share" with them.<br>
-<small>You do not really read small text, do you?</small><br>
-<strong>So, why should my child want one?</strong><br>
+<center><strong><big>'''For all children age 9-99.'''</big></strong></center>
-Education being a very important issue today all over the planet is yet another field where BPCD will make an impact.  New generations need to learn and understand the importance of being secure and how to care about their personal data, moreover additional connectors and IO’s  also enable them to tinker and create their own devices or program LEGO sensors and actuators while retractable GPIO module, enables them in controlling, testing and programming sensors, actuators and other electronic devices and gadgets from literally every other manufacturer. (Matrix, VeX, Arduino etc.)<br>
+Want to know more?<br>
-More on that please read the
+<div style="background: #819ba3; margin: auto; column-count: 3;" class="menue">
-[[specifications and features]]
+* [[Goals]], [[Features]] and [[Specifications]]
-.
+* [[News]]
+* [[FAQ|Frequently asked questions]]
+* [[Documentation]] and [[Instruction Manual]]
+* [[Links]] and [[Glossary]]
+* [[Contact|Contacts]]
+* [https://github.com/balthazar-space GitHub pages]
+</div>