[bitcracker]

> I agree with your entire comment except for the first sentence.

I meant the term "first step" historically. It is really the first step to true open hardware because it is the first project (as far as I know) that solely relies on basic electronics you can solder together on your own pcb.

There are many open hardware projects but all of them are based on complex hardware (FPGA kits etc.). There are several good open cores you can download into your fpga but what if someday your fpga stops working and you can't buy another one because these fpgas are not produced anymore?

I agree with you that selfmade processors will never be able to compete with modern processors. But even a 1 MHz 8 bit cpu can do a lot of things. Remember the huge success of Commodore 64. And if you are able to 3d-print one such a cpu you can also print many, and build a multicore system.

Who says that selfmade processors have to work with silicon and copper? If someone finds a way to produce cheap conductive plastic filaments that would be a huge leap forward for printed circuits. I believe that there are several smart hardware hackers who could achieve a solution we could live well with. 3D printing is just in the beginning. I expect amazing times to come.

[mindslight]

1. Plenty of CPUs have been built from discrete logic.

2. As soon as you start talking about complex printed items (including PCBs), you're necessitating either a trusted computational device to compile the design and drive the printer, or the ability to audit the output of the printer (eg read and understand the traces on a 2-layer PCB).