Self-control seriousness of gossip about the CPU
https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/36391482 Than I wrote it myself much better. . Although they know something. .
Gossip about the seriousness of self-control CPU
(2018 of April 16, the US Department of Commerce issued permission to export ZTE ban on US companies to sell its parts, known as "ZTE embargo." ZTE soon will the first anniversary of the event, in this During the year, China everyone was aware of the chip this thing, self-control has become a consensus, but how to achieve self-control, but there is a wide variety of views. On the occasion of the first anniversary, specially written several articles talk chip self-controlled. first start with this critical CPU chip.)
After the incident ZTE, the country's attention on self-control than ever before, official, folk have to talk about self-control mission, a time without heat. Although the roots engineer, but dared not country, but also self-control technology for national information system in the field is very concerned about all kinds of push to talk about self-controlled daily macro lengthy discourse should learn about, monasteries thing. Regrettably, they spoke often to discuss the network becomes a mutual criticism, into extreme polar opposites, few can put a specific objective science of things to say and clear.
May 2018, Chinese Academy of Engineering Chen Ning Yuanshi left on the network security and promote the development of self-control seminar was entitled "Suggestions controlled development of China's own" on the topic, the industrial development of self-control is proposed more scientific, pertinent suggestions. Chen Yuanshi think: developments in the field of China's online letter can not simply copy an industry, a country's development experience. This field is a global industrial structure, you have me, I have you, close collaboration is the norm; there are others to be able to leave me, I can not do without the security risk of others. Faced with this challenge in an open environment, we should vigorously promote the "bombs and one satellite Spirit", give full play to the advantages of the new nationwide system under the socialist market economy, strengthen top-level design and overall planning, adhere to the goal-oriented, global perspective, overall layout of strategic core industries, the formation of domestic and foreign enterprises division of labor, industrial chain composed of interconnected ensure controlled supply chain. On the one hand you want to look at the world, make good use of global resources industry, industrial chain, technology chain by piecewise uniform layout, which can distinguish dependent on global markets, which must be based on the country; what technologies and products can develop cooperation, which must themselves completely master; the other hand, have to seize the core technology and industry in key areas, based on their own organizational strength to focus on research, and support a complete set of funds, personnel and other supporting policies, as soon as possible and strive to achieve a breakthrough to resolve as soon as possible the current national security required, and lay a solid foundation for the long-term development in the field of network letter.
Academicians, experts generally stood relatively high level to plan the development of the overall strategy, hoping to chat with even more small grassroots own views on specific issues.
The definition of self-control
Chinese Academy of Engineering academician Lu Xicheng that the fundamental goal of self-control is safe and controllable, controllability and safety implications should include at least three aspects:
First, information systems hardware and software in the design or manufacturing stage opponents will not be inserted malicious functions, resulting in potential hidden dangers;
Second, whether in peacetime, wartime demand can provide the appropriate hardware and software products, security of supply is not controlled by others;
Third, the kinds of technology "Vital" does not exist, can self-repair product defects and carry out upgrading and updating.
Ni Guangnan has repeatedly said: "self-control does not mean security, but not necessarily unsafe self-control." Therefore, self-control is a necessary condition to achieve security, but not a sufficient condition. Self-control to avoid malicious implanted security vulnerabilities, but can not be avoided due to the lack of experience and lack of capacity to bring security vulnerabilities.
CPU is the heart of information systems, modern information society is the driving operation of the brain, its importance Needless to say. However, our key core CPU is heavily dependent on foreign imports for national information security is a major risk. At the same time, CPU is also crucial for the national industrial security, you can make a paper ban ZTE Such a market capitalization of billions of giant instant shock, illustrates the seriousness of the problem.
CPU self-control technology roadmap
At present, China's quest for self-control CPU has gone through more than two decades, made in China also made a lot of CPU, but the idea did not converge, but is more and more technical routes diverge. Industry predecessors stepped pit children, eaten loss experience did not turn out to guide us forward, but turned into a shot at each other for the ax hook fork, really dumbfounding. Therefore, the authors believe that it is necessary to follow the footsteps of their predecessors, to re-take the road of self-control over domestic CPU, hoping to draw some different conclusions. (Solemnly declare: Although this article is gravely gossip, gossip but still, if you do not accidentally offend to which interest groups, please laugh it off.)
For the country to achieve self-control CPU thinking a lot of discussion, can generally be grouped into four levels of problems, one is the instruction set level, a design level, is a manufacturing level, there is a human dimension.
Today chat topic instruction set.
A first set of instructions articles articles
First, what is the instruction set
Strictly speaking instruction set called the instruction set architecture (or instruction set architecture, Instruction Set Architecture, referred to as ISA). Said textbooks, abstract instruction set computer model, which defines the interface between the computer hardware and software. Just saw this definition of an author to school time, and a look ignorant force, which is defined too TM "abstract" of the bar, not as easy to understand instruction set Sa words, OK? But with further study, deeply felt the cattle breaking this definition, almost impossible to have a better definition to describe the ISA.
Yes, the instruction set is a "screen", on top of it is software, hardware beneath it. Software and hardware a good agreement, the software written procedures (instructions), hardware capable of recognizing and press semantic executed prior agreement. Instruction set that this convention is a set of norms, rules. With instruction set, to comply with a set of software and hardware instruction set specification can perform cross-platform, which completely divided the software and hardware industries, they carry out their duties, each earn each money, just enough to comply with this specification . So, although the instruction set of a general property of all home hardware provider, but are publicly available, the purpose is to let everyone come to its hardware design software, making it easier to use, easier to use, sales of natural it will be better. Of course, some people comply with this norm on the surface, but hidden contraband - to achieve such a function outside the norm in hardware, or implement a function with the norms inconsistent - this is the "back door." To avoid this subjective implanted "back door", you need full control over the design of the hardware. Sometimes, vulnerability is inadvertently introduced, which is the ability and level of problems, in early 2018 CPU loopholes to prove, even if Intel had this experience storms, it could capsize here. The same is true of software design. In short, the most important is "people" ah.
Therefore, the instruction set itself is not safe or unsafe, says that the key is how to achieve: Do not implant the "back door" when implemented in hardware, do not leave loopholes; do not implant "Trojan horse" software design, do not stay hidden - instruction set as a "screen," I'm innocent, I do not pot you both back.
If you do look at the analogy, the instruction set is more like a natural language specification, such as English, Chinese, and so on. Every Chinese person is to follow the Chinese this "instruction set" of a "hardware" - a computer or CPU, Each with Chinese writing on is one of the "software." As long as you are Chinese, you will be able to read the writing on the Chinese. Relatively stable rules of the language of our country is an important source of endless civilization, which is the importance of instruction set compatible.
The most important set of instructions that ecological value it represents. Ecology is a sophisticated process, activity equal to X times. Activity on behalf of its breadth, represent the same amount of time involved in investment in which people, companies, funds and so on; the time on behalf of its thickness, represents the process of accumulation. Ecological Competition Competition is put on the breadth and thickness.
Associated with the instruction set of a CPU-instruction set business model is authorized, is authorized parties can get the instruction set designed and after this authorization and instruction set compatible CPU product specifications, and all supporting hardware and software within the ecology are the CPU products with the use of ecological self can save on labor costs, financial costs and time costs. Since the instruction set has always been open, the instruction set licensed technology transfer or alienation does not exist, it is a market which is essentially permission. If you do not intend to launch commercial market, instruction set compatible CPU can easily design, no one would bother you, people will when you're a self-Hi. Currently, some instruction set license fees relatively high, indicating that its market value is relatively large, simply do not like the x86 instruction set licensed open, after all, the monopoly of the market to make money easier thing; there are some inexpensive and even free instruction set authorization, Description its market value has disappeared temporarily or not, want to attract attention by price factors, but ecological construction will need to put buyers from the line.
As the ecological value and market attributes instruction set, the competition between the instruction set architecture is not a purely technical competition, more of a market economy and the level of competition, so we saw a lot of good design is bad in history examples of ecological laggard.
Second, the instruction set in the history and current situation
The history of the most famous set of related topics with instructions that CISC and RISC struggle, the struggle is still continuing, but has to do with the original intention is not the same.
CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computing, complex instruction set computing) and RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computing, reduced instruction set computing) are literally on the instruction set computing technology. With machine code (or operating instructions) management and computer programming directly in the early development of computer technology, programmers, and instruction set are usually individual companies or institutions in accordance with market demand applications and custom development, there is no clear technical compatibility and style requirements, computing systems tend to directly support the complex needs of high-level language with hardware systems, adding new instructions for the new language features and application requirements, with additional or special hardware designed to implement these instructions, leading to more complex instruction set design . In the early 1970s, CISC technology gradually formed styles. Was typical CISC design is considered to be representative of the computer system include: IBM System / 360 mainframe and PDP-11 minicomputer.
As computer systems become more common, gradually increasing performance requirements, increased competition, and the system updates faster, constantly adding new instructions to add new hardware logic CISC technology style encountered such a long development cycle, technical verification difficulties, it is difficult to ensure that the old and new product compatibility, hardware logic complexity and cost surge and other issues. In CISC design mode, a large amount of hardware and logic circuitry for implementing complex instructions and special functions, commands and functions which are used only in rare cases - Pareto rule. In 1980 the University of California, Berkeley Professor David Patterson, presided over the Berkeley RISC project, first proposed the concept of RISC, the last derived MIPS, SPARC and other processors. IBM 801 project then became the prototype Power and PowerPC processors.
CISC and RISC have advantages and disadvantages, and each has its own very successful representative in the market. CISC is now the most successful representatives than x86, RISC and most successful than ARM, but both sides have to learn from each other in technology, the formation of a unified integration and technical realization in the micro-architecture. X86 and ARM now competition is no longer focused on CISC or RISC technology itself, but rather a general purpose CPU ecological competition both parties represent.
Next we take a look at developments in the two sets of instructions, and then again look at several other once glorious moment of the instruction set.
1、x86
Intel's x86 now all too familiar, but at the beginning x86 is a serious contempt of other manufacturers CPU instruction set, only dwelling in the low-end PC and embedded field, then Chanticleer architecture is MIPS, SPARC, PA- RISC, Alpha do this minicomputer. The outbreak PC and Intel Wintel alliance to bring a huge profit, but IBM and other whole plant concerns about supply chain security and a series of antitrust lawsuits allow Intel to AMD had to divide a piece of cake and Cyrix (later acquired by VIA ). Since then, three have x86 pattern formation, no longer able to enter the fourth circle of cents. The real killer x86 big kill Quartet is compatible with its strategy, relying on hardware and software products developed before the CPU is still perfectly capable of running on x86 CPU replacement, which is characteristic for personal computer users and the subsequent general-purpose server users just fantastic, greatly reducing the cost of replacement. And to help open the x86 server market, but he has been trashed AMD, Intel relied on the rich and powerful play when Eagle went, AMD x86 64-bit extensions to engage honestly, it is with this design had never won a cut over the server and workstation market. Intel and other off taste to understand, hastily launched IA-32e, EM64T, Intel 64 and ultimately to re-take the initiative until occupy 99% market share.
Personally think, x86 success in addition to the technical details of several companies, but also benefited from two important opportunities, is a quasi-step development of a wave machine PC, and the other is the prospective user's pulse, which is gone a compatible technology development path. And another popular ARM instruction set is relying on a new business model given the opportunity to subvert the existing hegemony.
2、ARM
And, like many other RISC instruction set, ARM was born in the academic atmosphere of this university town of Cambridge. The initial twenty years, ARM development tepid, has been maintained in the field of embedded, mobile and handheld devices to some of the supply chips and solutions. In the early 1990s, ARM licensing business began to try to put their own processor core licensed designs to chip makers using the integrated, such as GEC Plessey, TI and Samsung. While the instruction set is allocated to DEC and other such companies, so that they are compatible with their own design of CPU. DEC licensed based on instruction set developed StrongARM (renamed later sold to Intel XScale), its own processor core performance is higher than ARM, but it did not shake the determination to go licensed ARM business model. By 2007, the use of ARM core and the ARM instruction set chip has shipped more than 10 billion. Apple has in the smartphone hot tried to 80 billion acquisition of ARM, was rejected. When he was CEO said "ARM as an independent company more valuable," defended himself as a neutral commercial license's status. It is this unique business model, it seize the opportunities the wave of mobile computing, the counterattack CPU overlord Intel, to become the new overlord mobile.
After stick to live their own positions of mobile computing in 2010, ARM introduced the 64-bit instruction set ARMV8, began to enter the field of high performance for x86 challenge. This boss second child pick a scene would have been without him, a posture dry on the line. ARM business model but decided that he had been standing behind the strikes, Apple, Samsung, Qualcomm, Huawei this magnitude. Pk wolves giant elephant, whether the winner of it? Personally I think that the outcome will not be life and death. Because ARM is simply not to attack the x86 has a firm market, but in the emerging cloud computing, data center this market, or create a market out of play. This x86 market does not occupy an overwhelming advantage, users also want to have a better choice. You go to your perfectly normal paths, he left his difficult path, or that you are out of Guan Gong, he was out of the Qin Qiong. Of course, in self-control market that is a different story, and demand is not the same, the back will speak.
3、MIPS
MIPS can be said to be the originator of the RISC instruction set, the initial version of the simple and efficient, with the current hot RISCV There is a good ratio, after all, Hennessy and Patterson old man from Stanford team's hands. Former MIPS smash hit, it is synonymous with minicomputer, the number of domestic supercomputing have used. But suffered a series of shocks x86 and ARM, and gradually withdraw from the server, minicomputer market, retreated to the embedded market in recent years, the embedded market has gradually been eroded, eco-shrinking, it has not been updated for many years. In recent years, MIPS after another was acquired, first in 2013 core patent was ARM / Intel / IBM and other carved up, the residual value is Imagination for $ 60 million acquisition, then 2017 has been Capital acquired the US investment firm Tallwood Venure, until 2018, and was the United States AI start-up companies Wave Computing acquisition.
Instruction set of market ups and downs, but big brother's fall leads people to marvel at. What, then, MIPS opportunity did not give even a dead end in the capital acquisition, Imagination are sold to a Chinese-funded bridge Kay, but also the MIPS CPU-related business division sold to US companies inside the doorway can imagine, there are root pigtail always grasp ah.
4、Alpha
Once shaking, ZZZZZZZZZ Alpha instruction set is the long history of a dazzling meteor shower, but everyone agreed that the Alpha instruction set is actually nothing commendable, let him go down in history is its chip design --Alpha21x64 series. 1992, DEC canceled the project before a Prism picked up again to develop a new processor to compete with SPARC. The processor code-named AXP (Almost eXactly Prism is said to be an abbreviation). Only introduced three generations of Alpha processors, DEC company was acquired by Compaq in 1998, Compaq and later pushed a generation of 21364 to complete cancellation of this product line.
Alpha processor market has been doing a good job, indeed praised, we also often used as a typical negative technique was defeated in the market. Alpha in the market, there is a relatively short time, the accumulation of enough thickness and breadth, ecology is not really set up, is not surprising x86 defeated. Alpha was removed related patents acquired by Intel, is used in a variety of x86 processors, it can be considered a worthy death.
5、Power
I always think IBM is the CPU market is relatively high cold players, and his only cattle breaking things, like never bad money children. From the 1980's to the present Power instruction set also gone through more than 30 years, the middle of a period of time called the PowerPC, now called the Unified Power ISA. IBM Power processor-based high-end servers (p / i / z series) has been the darling of large industry applications, reliable and stable. system x series sold to Lenovo, but based on the Power processor high-end series killed not sell. While IBM Power is still super player in the field of supercomputing, has created more than the first.
Even so cold high range of players, but also about the ecology of this threshold. In order to save the shrinking Power ecology, IBM was founded in 2013, the OpenPower alliance to promote the ecological environment around the Power processor, Power instruction set still HTTP: // Power.org to control, but open the Power processor license business. At present, there are core Sheng Wang made the authorization, and the development of domestic Power CPU server.
6、SPARC
SPARC original design also deeply influenced by the Berkeley RISC project, and later founded Sun Microsystems to commercialize it. SPARC can be said to be a pioneer in open instruction set, as early as 1989, Sun will SPARC instruction set, SPARC International Trademark entrusted to the organization and authorized by the license-free (available for a nominal fee of $ 99), royalty-free manner SPARC bigger and stronger ecosystem. In 2006 and 2008, it is open to design code UltraSPARC T1 / 2, and further enhance the openness and attract eco-partners. Fujitsu SPARC-based open-ended authorization developed SPARC64 VIIIfx processor, computer help Beijing win the 2011 championship TOP500. Due to ecological atrophy, Sun ultimately could not escape the fate of being acquired by Oracle. In recent years, Oracle announced the termination of research and development SPARC processors, this classic instruction set also a stop.
7, IA-64
In 1994, when Intel wants to enter the 64-bit architecture, which were first thought is not compatible with x86 extensions basis, but together with HP to engage in a completely new instruction set IA-64 (IA-32 that is relative x86 named), and took the name --EPIC an epic for this architecture. But in fact the essence of the concept of RISC or EPIC, but the blend of very long instruction word VLIW explicit parallel hardware and software co-optimization techniques. Because Intel and Hewlett-Packard appeal, manufacturers have followed suit (in fact, also indirectly led to the decline of the MIPS and Alpha). Of course, Intel did not forget his magic backward compatible, it incorporates a binary translation engine in the first-generation Itanium processor to support the IA-32 application (performance can be imagined). Itanium is not continuous but bounced say, finally came out in 2001, when the performance was over the same period of the other processors seconds into the slag. Fortunately, in 2002 followed by the launch of Itanium2 stabilize the morale of the troops, IA-64 but did not get the expected success is an indisputable fact. Software industry, Daniel came out diss: IA-64 compiler simply can not write! In the meantime, AMD take the road of perseverance x86-compatible, launched the Opteron quickly occupied the server market, Intel hit a ball in the face. When Intel and other children answered a God to again reposition itself in the flag of x86-compatible, life will undoubtedly IA-64 countdown. However, Intel virtue of perseverance, stunned this product line is to be maintained in 2017, launched Itanium9700.
Third, the self-control of the CPU instruction set Aspects
As described above, the instruction set is an agreement between the hardware and software interface standard, which represents ecological (X liveness time) on a breadth and thickness, it implies the three elements can be summarized as "a three": a market, a group of people, a series of hardware and software. Therefore, the domestic CPU-related ecological construction but also from the market, the accumulation of talent and hardware and software aspects to proceed with the deployment of resources in breadth and thickness.
Domestic self-control technology is reflected in the line CPU instruction set level, there are two routes, one is fully defined a new instruction set, other authorization has been mainstream instruction set.
1, fully defined a new instruction set
Fully define their own new set of instructions can fundamentally solve the problem of self-control instruction set level, self-definition, self-development, free from constraints. However, the problem is obvious. The first is not leveraging mature ecological, market / personnel / software and hardware that three elements must start from scratch, breadth and thickness of the gap will be with the mainstream ecological becoming greater and greater. Instruction set itself might solve the kinds of problems, but in the application process, the degree of industry chain controlled by others, but intensified.
Another key issue is intellectual property rights. Our accumulated CPU in this area is relatively weak, especially the accumulation of related patents, will inevitably encounter harassment of patent stick. Do not assume that their own definition of a set of instructions can easily circumvent existing patents. The current patent on instruction set (instruction encoding no patent protection, but some of the instruction set architecture technology still subject to patent protection, such as storage management, vector processing, etc.) are more difficult to bypass the need to withstand the test of patent warfare. International existing instruction set as x86, MIPS, ARM, POWER, are also mutual infringement, but with their own accumulated on the patent, can achieve a dynamic balance through cross-licensing, "you have me, I'm in have you ", from intrusion patent lawsuit. Year, MIPS was acquired when, ARM conjunction with other home quickly received MIPS, MIPS has a lot of that is because the core of the patent as the founder of modern general-purpose processors, if they fall into the hands of patent trolls, processor rivers and lakes will be a reign of terror. And then how split MIPS is not sold to China, the reason you know.
Completely define your own instruction set are also a precedent, such as the early days of 103/104, 109 B / 441B such as tubes, transistors are certainly custom computer instruction, Galaxy 1 Galaxy vector processor (at that time after the reform and opening of 2 this is not the VLSI processor, but with a separate small-scale integrated circuit components designed processor) also define their own set of instructions, the National Defense Science overcurrent custom instruction sets, DSP instruction set, defined PKUnity Unicore through instruction set. In some areas of embedded and emerging markets, many manufacturers such as transit Micro is a custom instruction set, and some other AI currently Cambrian processor also define your own instruction set.
In the case of general-purpose CPU field, currently fully customized instruction set yet. Divinity, Godson, soar during the Eleventh Five had discussed the design of a new, unified instruction set made in China, but did not succeed in the prevailing environment. Shen Wei performed on a custom set of instructions useful attempt, redefined and design based on the Alpha, launched SW64 instruction set, be half. Alpha instruction set currently has no commercial entity to its cable sound right, so modify alpha instruction set will not bring trouble with the law, but under the existing tool chain alpha ecology (compilers, development environments, etc.) can not be reused, needs mapping and conversion work instructions. Since alpha has stopped for nearly 20 more years, or some new software development environment require re-development, tuning, short and wide gap between the international advanced level. Further, as the foregoing, alpha instruction set architecture of some of the ideas and techniques are patented, patents income by Intel. SW instruction set is currently no publicly available on the Internet, if publicly available, the future will not bring trouble patents also open to question.
The common market in the field of redefining a new instruction set is not a good solution, because one is too much legacy software and hardware required to bear the common areas, redefining the ecological equivalent to the re-establishment of software and hardware. On the other hand, China itself with the international advanced level in the field of IT gap is relatively large, even if the security does not matter to the instruction set to re-define and re-build eco, the gap will only grow, self-control It does not mean go back to the "liberation."
In some areas with international standards and run or leader, you can seize the historic opportunity to advocate market switched custom instruction set, self-built eco-establish dominance through technology and market competition.
But there is little need to remind everybody that, before becoming ARM mobile communications market leader, China already has domestic CPU, although poor than intel all the way, but did not have much weaker than the ARM. But when moving ecological construction, China where? Why not become the dominant domestic CPU, but weak chicken ARM to become dominant? What's inside this lesson is worth considering.
2, the mainstream instruction set authorization
Benefits authorized by the instruction set compatibility with existing mainstream instruction set is leveraging mature ecology, to solve the problem by designing a controlled level of autonomy. Also, do not worry about patent issues, ISA instruction set level of risk patent owner has been resolved. But the instruction set is not authorized by the arbitrary development, in order to maintain compatibility with existing and future ecological, we need to follow the rules, extended only to the extent permitted. In addition, some of the instruction set architecture license prices are not cheap, is spending a small fortune.
Authorized use of the existing instruction set (and adaptation based on the existing instruction set extensions) way is a way of domestic CPU manufacturers widely used. And most people speak the same language easy to communicate and exchange, empathy, compatible instruction set has been beneficial to inherit and use of existing ecosystems, direct access has been operating for many years to cultivate the market.
Currently able to obtain the authorization of the international instruction set in the country are involved, including alpha, MIPS, arm, Power, SPARC and so on. Although the general field of eco-X86 is best, but its instruction set is not authorized to open, so do the domestic self-controlled x86-compatible CPU instruction set level must be a false proposition, no matter how dazzling the shares conversion, can not solve the instruction set of the authorization problem.
Godson is taking the route compatible and scalable, core instruction set is MIPS, MIPS does not function in the private space extended instruction support. Mainframe MIPS have some use of CPU instruction set, and later x86 market after being squeezed, fought in the embedded field, ARM after after being squeezed, the market gradually decline, eventually acquired, related patents has fallen ARM and some investment companies hand. Godson propaganda launched in the beginning of the 2000s when the processor is proprietary, but later suffered a MIPS lawsuit, first to solve the problem by authorized authorized curve STMicroelectronics, and finally in 2009, chose to pay the company to resolve the MIPS MIPS instruction set of the authorization. Although take years to pay a sum of money, but this is also equivalent to the authorization for a permanent license. This can not be said to be a very wise choice, the market is the only way. Then it also causes no small crisis of confidence, on the Internet condemning Godson, are classified as "Han core" and his ilk, to calculate the waste great trouble to explain the past. Back MIPS licensees, Godson seek legal authorization decision, although correct, but because of the MIPS twilight, underdevelopment power, infrastructure expansion and related software updates are very slow, can not meet the needs of the development of the modern Godson servers, desktops and other fields, therefore Godson herself to be extended. If this extension has not been audited and MIPS merger, the consequences of the conflict with the standard MIPS trunk, the new standard MIPS software does not run properly on the new Godson processors, such as java, the virtual machine in a public space, etc. . Spreading out its instructions LoongISA 90% of the cases will not be used, but most of the MIPS instructions in the standard has been extended, in order to expand the bit extension means. In addition, the expansion of Godson LoongISA manual has not posted publicly, as with other custom instruction sets, the future will not bring trouble patents also open to question. In general, the practice of people do not understand Godson, compatible with an active ecological, but also personally destroyed by the brutal expansion of this ecosystem, similar to the embargo under such extreme circumstances, MIPS core instruction set controlled by others, can not continue to use. Therefore, this Godson instruction set route without having entered into similar controllability fully customizable, but did not get the convenience of eco-compatible ripe, was rather nondescript.
Huawei, Spreadtrum, soar, and so on through the core of China is taking the route is compatible with the ARM instruction set, which add up to a few ranging from high-performance computers, data center to the server, desktop, mobile, embedded and then to the entire IT market. ARM is now with the x86 instruction set as active, occupied and x86 server and desktop, mobile penetration gradually to corresponding, ARM is moving to occupy gradually penetrate the high-end computing. These two instruction sets also represent two entirely different business model: x86 intel is a single large (AMD, VIA's market share is very small), monopoly, control pricing and the right to development; ARM is playing partisan community, members to formulate roadmap instruction set, common development of standards, market share, encourage Hundred Flowers. ARM is positioning itself as an eco-operators, which is more like a community convener, Apple, Samsung, Qualcomm, Huawei powerful than he. ARM instruction set compatible leveraging mature ecology may, from up to consider the three elements of the instruction set, hardware and software, personnel and marketing are real out there, and make the chip can be directly used to launch applications, compared to Alpha and MIPS Eco is not a star got too strong. But ARM's licensing fees are not low, the rich can get a perpetual license, less money can only pay in installments, the first test the waters, earned adjourned. Another problem is that the expansion in the commercial market expanded ARM instruction set is not arbitrary, can only expand in the reserved interface. ARM as an ecological defenders, certainly do not want to look at the ecological division single-handedly cultivated to produce multiple branches, so the value does not exist ARM, MIPS ARM ecology will step footsteps. ARM hopes upgrade method is to sit down and put all their needs, as long as reasonable, in line with the development trend of technology, it is accepted, but must be harmonized and extended instruction register and definitions by it, and then release a new version, the pace of community partners be consistent. Comparatively, the ARM instruction set compatible in this way now appears more practical significance, several domestic needs further gradually increase their voice in the ARM eco-system.
Currently, there is a much discussed recent compatible route is compatible RISC-V. David RISC-V is a computer architecture Chanticleer figures Professor Patterson team developed open-source instruction set, in addition to the membership fee to the intersection completely free (with a membership fee development decision to be higher), and the expansion of freedom. These features make the country a large number of researchers believe that China should be like India as the RISC-V as a "national instruction set", to solve the problem of self-control of our general-purpose CPU-based RISC-V. Indian National Instruction Set this thing is actually a misunderstanding, the fact is that there are several Indian companies are doing RISC-V processor, and got tens of millions of dollars in state funding. If you press this standard, the Chinese are already several countries of the instruction set. The greatest benefit RISC-V technology roadmap is no limit on the delegation of authority to solve one of our knot, but its application there are some constraints in the general area. First, RISC-V in addition to the core instruction set extensions without any limitation, but this will lead to extended everywhere formula ecological fragmentation. If it is not included in the core standard extension, ecological standard RISC-V is not supported, you need to create their own ecological, with a custom instruction set exists the same ecological and patent issues. If the extension is to be incorporated into the core standards, then who is listed as the expansion of the core standards there is a big voice who matter. Imagine the same with RISC-V "National Instruction Set" of China and India if India should conduct a "war of instruction set" to compete for dominance RISC-V do? Secondly, RISC-V is still a lack of a reasonable business model, how to participate in corporate profits? If everything is free, dynamic ecosystem of developers come from, how to maintain continuous, high-quality investment? Therefore, the potential is free of charge on application to promote every aspect of the instruction set. In addition, due to the ecology has just started (PC on RISC-V, mobile and server ecology has not yet started), there is a big gap between RISC-V application performance and application performance on a mainstream in the general field of ecology, which is entirely their own definition of instruction set, from beginning to end self-built ecological drawbacks are the same. Although not optimistic about the RISC-V vision in the field of conventional general-purpose CPU, but in some emerging RISC-V applications, especially microcontrollers, networking, and even supercomputing and other eco is not very sensitive to the scene, as well as custom fields the rise architecture, is absolutely can make a difference. In fact, the history of open-source instruction set does not lack, SPARC is done early open source, but ultimately could not stand up. When too? Yun also? One of the lessons, it is worth RISC-V enthusiasts a closer look. Ultimately could not stand up. When too? Yun also? One of the lessons, it is worth RISC-V enthusiasts a closer look. Ultimately could not stand up. When too? Yun also? One of the lessons, it is worth RISC-V enthusiasts a closer look.
Conclusion
China-made CPU if to do big, do must have a strong ecological, instruction set is not open around the topic. Fully define a new instruction set is clearly the most controlled way, but only for the blue ocean market everyone on the same starting line, but also lead the class in order to gain a firm foothold on the breadth and thickness investment. With the development of the field of custom architecture (DSA) and agile hardware development, in the future market, the birth of a new unified ecological almost no longer possible, more market segments will rely on the emergence application. China is a big country applied power, deep perception of the market should help us discern the wave of emerging computing revolution, seize the historical opportunity to build fully autonomous instruction set ecology.
Then the general-purpose CPU is already a Red Sea market, the current mainstream CPU instruction domestic enterprises widely used set of authorized controlled manner can resolve security problems? Let's go back about safety academician Lu Xicheng controlled three connotations. Instruction set itself has nothing to do with security, based on the authorization of independent instruction set designed to prevent malicious backdoor. Select the rich eco-industrial chain, supply security with multiple instruction sets Supply Issues authorization to solve the problem, the United States itself over-supply problem also choose to have a number of suppliers of technical solutions, to supply a controlled bind only child the risk is obvious. And the instruction set itself is not technical barriers, he said earlier, even without authorization, doing "play a game" is still possible. Finally, right in the hands of independent design, upgrading and repairing defects obviously also a natural thing.