The Java processor JOP under GPL

[Martin Schoeberl]

Hi all,

I want to announce that the Java processor JOP is now open-source
under GPL v3. With JOP it is now possible to extend the open-source
stack down to the CPU.

JOP is an implementation of the Java virtual machine in hardware -
that means a Java processor. It's not the only Java processor in the
world, but now the first one under GPL ;-)

If you want to browse the project: the sources are at opencores [1],
there are two web sites [2, 3], and a handbook [4] available.

Cheers, Martin

[1] http://www.opencores.org/projects.cgi/web/jop/overview
[2] http://www.jopdesign.com/
[3] http://www.jopwiki.com/
[4] http://www.jopdesign.com/doc/handbook.pdf

 

[Roedy Green]

[1] http://www.opencores.org/projects.cgi/web/jop/overview
[2] http://www.jopdesign.com/
[3] http://www.jopwiki.com/
[4] http://www.jopdesign.com/doc/handbook.pdf

why did you succeed where Sun failed? Are you going for a much slower
CPU than they did?

What would your typical implementation be in power comparable to as a
Pentium class CPU running Sun's JVM or comparable handheld?

I have added a link at http://mindprod.com/jgloss/jop.html

 

[Martin Schoeberl]

[1] http://www.opencores.org/projects.cgi/web/jop/overview

[2] http://www.jopdesign.com/
[3] http://www.jopwiki.com/
[4] http://www.jopdesign.com/doc/handbook.pdf

why did you succeed where Sun failed? Are you going for a much slower
CPU than they did?

I'm not sure if I did succeed ;-) Yes, JOP is slower than picoJava-II.
Wolfgang Puffitsch actually implemented picoJava in an FPGA. You
can find more info on that at: http://www.jopwiki.com/PicoJava

Besides slower, JOP is way smaller than picoJava.

What would your typical implementation be in power comparable to as a
Pentium class CPU running Sun's JVM or comparable handheld?

I'm actually fighting to beat the Jazelle processor that can be
found in some mobile. I never wanted to compete with a Pentium
class CPU. JOP is intended for resource constraint embedded systems
and also for real-time systems.

I have added a link at http://mindprod.com/jgloss/jop.html

ok, thanks. BTW: I think your entry on picoJava is a little bit
misleading. The aJile processor on the JStamp board has nothing
to do with picoJava.

Cheers,
Martin

 

[Roger Lindsjö]

Hi all,

I want to announce that the Java processor JOP is now open-source
under GPL v3. With JOP it is now possible to extend the open-source
stack down to the CPU.

JOP is an implementation of the Java virtual machine in hardware -
that means a Java processor. It's not the only Java processor in the
world, but now the first one under GPL ;-)

Would having the CPU under GPL cause problems trying to use it in a
system with non GPL perhiperals such as memory controllers, PCI
controllers etc?

//Roger Lindsjö

 

[Martin Schoeberl]

Would having the CPU under GPL cause problems trying to use it in a system with non GPL perhiperals such as memory controllers,
PCI controllers etc?

Yes, that would be an issue with the GPL. A solution for this issue
would be LGPL or use compatible IPs. There are many of them around.
However, as the JOP core sources are still all copyright by me it is
not a big deal to negotiate a different license.

Martin