AmpBenzScientist @AmpBenzScientist@social.cleverlibre.org
Joined Jan 2020
AmpBenzScientist
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Fixing the display on #RISCV Lichee Console 4A
https://www.cnx-software.com/2024/01/14/how-i-fixed-the-display-on-lichee-console-4a-terminal/
@thor That seems reasonable. I'm a very different person when I'm undergoing meattime. In person I'm likeable, on my friend's Discord I get banned because it's Discord and a cancer to society.
Perhaps I'm accustomed to the Internet culture that was brutally honest and not an echo chamber for people to segregate themselves based on some idiotic ideals. People need to hear opposing opinions like NASA needed to listen to Engineers about O-rings in the fuel delivery system.
AmpBenzScientist
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VirtIO Networking in the Web Browser ... With TinyEMU #RISCV Emulator and WebSocket VPN
Source: https://github.com/lupyuen/nuttx-tinyemu#tinyemu-networking-in-the-web-browser
@airtower It likely needs to be Reversed in a Clean Room approach. I can look into it but I'm not the best with documentation and I have a bit more to do before my system is in a more usable state.
I'd be happy to help with this noble effort to further free something that I'm very proud of. Unfortunately it's a Realtek chip and I would doubt that Pine64 could get them to release more than they have.
I'll see what I can dig up but it will take time.
AmpBenzScientist
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One thing that really worries me is if the firmware can be accepted into linux-firmware this way ("extracted from array in vendor driver files marked as GPL-2"), and if the driver could be accepted upstream (later, when it supports at least station mode) if not. Reading the README of the linux-firmware repository gives me doubts at least.
Does anyone know how that works? Or even better, has a contact at #Realtek who could see about getting the firmware released directly? Or at least at #Pine64 or some other Realtek customer who could poke them?
AmpBenzScientist
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I said I'd share code when I have something that doesn't crash, and I do now: https://github.com/airtower-luna/linux/commit/5926d4aa22e6db72a3f7941e297a4b796f5746fb The "rfe 0 isn't supported" error is because data tables with transmit power and regulatory information are missing, so that'll have to be the next thing. Help with that or other parts welcome! 
For the required firmware, see here: https://github.com/airtower-luna/rtw8703b-fw-extractor
#rtw8783cs #Pinephone #MobileLinux
AmpBenzScientist
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8703B seems to have a happy amount of overlap with 8723D, which is already supported by rtw88. Not enough to just use that one, but being able to avoid reinventing things like the EFUSE data parsing is nice.
AmpBenzScientist
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What I have so far:
Scaffolding for a driver based on rtw88. Rtw88 already supports a similar SDIO 802.11n chip, so it takes care of the SDIO communication, but I'll have to implement the chip operations and figure out initialization commands and values and similar. Right now it'd crash if you tried to run it because required chip operation function pointers are NULL, but it compiles.
A little tool that creates proper firmware files from the firmware arrays included in #rtl8723cs.
What's interesting is that the old driver calls the wifi chip RTL8703B, as part of the combined wifi/bluetooth RTL8723CS module. I'll probably share code when I have it so far that it doesn't crash and logs something about detecting the chip. 
AmpBenzScientist
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@mobian Fortunately adding the chip to rtw88 looks promising so far (too early to call it yet, though), but that could also be an issue for the firmware (included in that old driver as huge byte arrays). I hope that wouldn't prevent a mainline driver though, I remember the b43 fw extractor…
AmpBenzScientist
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After a closer look at #rtl8723cs I can say I'm not surprised there's still no upstream driver. That code is a horrible mess, and the options are a) fully untangle and clean up the mess for upstreaming or b) untangle enough to understand what you need to know to write a new, clean driver. Or maybe extend one of the existing mainline drivers? There seem to be some similarities with the rtw88 SDIO parts at least. I think I'll keep trying (leaning towards option b), but help would be very, very welcome. 
#MobileLinux #PinePhone
AmpBenzScientist
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"Framework Computer disclosed a Data Breach exposing the personal information of an undisclosed number of Customers"
AmpBenzScientist
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"read the ROM data by simply looking at a photo of the chip" (TMS0801)
@thor I generally despise Macs but it's because of the users. Use of the terminal is something that I respect because it shows that a seemingly useless piece of consumer culture has a pedigree of actually being useful. The Woz comes out every time someone actually uses a Mac for something useful and it makes him smile.
AmpBenzScientist
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I like to use a Mac. But I have a past as a huge nerd. I sometimes use that skill. But only when necessary. If I was the manager of a company, I'd see such talent and hire it immediately. And I'd hide my own skills and act impressed when the 20-year-old does something.
AmpBenzScientist
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There are basically two currencies you can trade in on Planet Earth.
- time
- money
If you're not spending one, you're spending the other.
@thor Or both if one likes the drug of nostalgia.
AmpBenzScientist
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I finally managed to break something in the transition as LOD0 ( vertex animated tree meshes ) are now not rendering, but the impostors are fine.
@thendrix It was probably only recommended because they were inexpensive and plentiful back then. Buying ammo for them would be easy and attract very little attention.
A 38 revolver is the official pistol of the glove box and hunters from a particular era in time. A time when a Pride Flag was different, a pickup truck was considered equipment and a 30-06 or 12ga was considered to be the head rest of an American Pickup. A golden era where a guy in a pickup would let you hop in the bed to hitch a ride and people could work on their own stuff. The era when diesels were slow and only made slightly more smoke than the gas vehicles. The era when amphetamines were dispensed easily and beer was an acceptable beverage.
It was a real golden age for many reasons but society moves on. There has to be use of the scientific discovery that is ignored for decades only to come back as new and ground breaking. There has to be war and lubrication of the gears of society with the blood of the innocent. A strange mix of Entropy causing The Beatles to become U2 and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
I've run out of things to say besides I hate carburetors but only if an automatic transmission isn't around. I'll go back to yelling at squirrels and promoting Libertarian Ideology now.
AmpBenzScientist
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@thendrix Get a good 22lr and a 12ga too. It might seem dumb but they are good against most problems. 9mm, 10mm and 45acp are only good enough to buy time to grab a long rifle.
Looking back into the history of 38spl shows that it was improved to be good enough until semi automatic pistols became more common. To replace the old work horse the police looked at the 1911A1 because it was developed to take down a horse. The recoil is just enough to let one know they don't have a squib and it has the penetration of a limp dick. 9mm was... double stack and suited for people who don't get yelled at for not managing recoil.
10mm, the real one and not 40S&W, was so impressive that the FBI had to lower their standards for qualifying. The barrels were wearing out before 10k rounds. It's the round that would get your grandpa to say he never truly enjoyed his 45 except for killing Germans. The recoil can be around the same between a 10mm and a 45ACP. One goes faster, penetrates and is Metric. The other is old, dead simple to handload and so heavy that the effective range is two distances. The one it easily reaches and the 9.81ms^2 that forms a parabolic arc into death from above.
To summarize, a revolver is hilariously inefficient at utilizing the gasses from a round so much so that its escape will eventually cut the frame and cause catastrophic failure. Reloads are terrible with revolvers. Just get something semi automatic and enjoy the century old luxury of something called a magazine. There's also the benefit of using a suppressor and rails. 9mm, 10mm or the Ancient round that has limp dick penetration but hits like a haymaker. They all have their unique uses and the argument could be made to just have all 3.
Joined Jan 2020
