[insulanus]

Here are a few implications:

* In a few years (maybe 5?), it might be possible to build a computer that you can trust has no intentional back doors in the CPU, but is modern enough to run software from within the last decade.

* If this catches on, and is used by enough people, economies of scale might kick in, and bring costs for advanced custom chips down by an order of magnitude (if the cpu is small enough, and if more fab capacity is built). Not Intel/AMD/ARM parts - those prices will remain stable, at first.

* Maybe we can have another decent consumer-grade router? No, this is a pipe-dream.

* Our Amiga accelerator boards will become SMOKING fast.

[vfclists]

Is the chip in question a complete CPU?

[lkcl]

yes. it is however a test ASIC. therefore it has no on-board boot ROM, and has to have programs uploaded to it over JTAG.

[vfclists]

Is it 32 bit or 64 bit?