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public_domain_computer.md
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# Public Domain Computer
Public domain computer is yet nonexistent but planned and highly desired [simple](kiss.md) ethical [computer](computer.md) (in the common meaning of the word) whose specification is completely in the public domain and which is made with completely [selfless](selflessness.md) [LRS](lrs.md)-aligned goal of being absolutely non-malicious and maximally helpful to everyone. It should be the "people's computer", a simple, [suckless](suckless.md), user-respecting hackable computer offering maximum [freedom](free_software.md), a computer which anyone can study, improve, manufacture and repair without paying any "[intellectual property](intellectual_property.md)" fees, a computer which people can buy for extremely low price and use for any purpose without being abused or oppressed.
Public domain computer is yet nonexistent but planned and highly desired [simple](kiss.md) ethical [computer](computer.md) (in the common meaning of the word) whose specification is completely in the public domain and which is made with completely [selfless](selflessness.md) [LRS](lrs.md)-aligned goal of being absolutely non-malicious and maximally helpful to everyone. It should be the "people's computer", a simple, [suckless](suckless.md), user-respecting hackable computer offering maximum [freedom](free_software.md), a computer which anyone can study, improve, manufacture and repair without paying any "[intellectual property](intellectual_property.md)" fees, a computer which people can buy (well, while money still exist) for extremely low price and use for any purpose without being abused or oppressed.
The project is basically about asking: what if computers were designed to serve us instead of corporations?
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- Allow reading, writing and storing [books](book.md), e.g. those from [Project Gutenberg](gutenberg.md) or offline [Wikipedia](wikipedia.md) -- this can tremendously help education e.g. in the third world.
- Run basic [software](software.md) such as calculator, stopwatch, calendar, note taking, alarm clock, memory-card reader, picture viewer, even simple [games](game.md) etc.
- Serve as an [embedded](embedded.md) computer, e.g. [DYI](dyi.md) people and small business may use the computer in similar ways [Raspberry pi](rpi.md) is used nowadays (auto switching lights, opening doors, recording data from sensors, tiny robots, ...).
- Be programmed and serve as an educational tool for programming.
- Do many scientific calculations.
- Control [peripherals](peripheral.md) through simple interfaces.
- Handle simple [multimedia](multimedia.md) such as low-res images and animations, 8bit sounds...
- ...
## Details
The project wouldn't aim to create a specific single "model" of a computer but rather blueprints that may be easily adjusted and mapped to any specific existing technology -- the goal would be to create an abstract [hardware](hardware.md) specification as well as basic [software](software.md) for the computer.
Abstract hardware specification means e.g. description on the [logic gate](logic_gate.md) level so that the computer isn't dependent on any contemporary and potentially proprietary lower level technology such as [CMOS](cmos.md). The project would simply create a big logical circuit of the computer and this description could be "compiled" to a lower level circuit board description. The hardware description could also be parametrized so that certain features could be adjusted -- for example it might be possible to choose the amount of [RAM](ram.md) or disable specific CPU instructions to make a simpler, cheaper circuit board.
Abstract hardware specification means e.g. description on the [logic gate](logic_gate.md) level so that the computer isn't dependent on any contemporary and potentially proprietary lower level technology such as [CMOS](cmos.md). The project would simply create a big [logic circuit](logic_circuit.md) of the computer and this description could be compiled/synthesized to a lower level circuit board description. The hardware description could also be parametrized so that certain features could be adjusted -- for example it might be possible to choose the amount of [RAM](ram.md) or disable specific CPU instructions to make a simpler, cheaper circuit board.
**The computer would have to be created from the ground up**, with every design aspect following the ultimate goal. The project roadmap could look similarly to this one: