Thanks David,
This has been a long process, and there is no guarantee that it will reach completion.
On the other hand, I can guarantee the money being raised isn't just going to end up in one of the project leaders pockets (everyone in the project is contributing as well).
Basically, it an international collection of individuals, many with different interests (a lot of whom are deeply into Linux), that want a more powerful PPC system.
The laptop was decided on by consensus (Lord knows I didn't think it was the easiest or most practical idea), but its what seemed to fit most of our uses.

And if your computing is evolving like mine, portable IS the way to go.

The T2080 is a uses four Freescale/NXP e6500 cores. These are dual threaded, so that means that the cpu supports eight concurrent threads (or twice as many as the P5040).
The T2080 is slightly slower than the highest speed P5020 and P5040 cpus, but has a higher mips rating and includes AltiVec instructions.
So yes, it should outperform a P5040.

The comparison to the i7 I'm typing on now is a bit of hyperbole on my part.
My Lenovo has a dual core i7 that operates at a relatively low frequency.
But X64 cpus have multimedia instructions and other features that give them an edge over PPCs.
HOWEVER, I was NOT exaggerating about thread count.

The proposed laptop will be capable of running TWICE as many concurrent threads as the quite capable laptop I am typing on right now.

Frankly, I would have preferred to have been able to draw Bill Buck into the proposed T1042 micro itx board we were discussing, BUT this endeavor could produce something with even broader appeal.
And if its going to be a project that makes limited commercial sense, well than it damned well better appeal to the limited target market its aimed at and be the best device we can realistically consider.

Honestly, every step of this is being thought out very carefully, with constant discussion.
The chassis is a standardized component. The video cards that will mount into in it are industry standard components.
We even have the list of motherboard components winnowed down (with some input from Acube).

And finally, we're not talking out our ass when it comes to engineering.
We have a VERY good deal with people who CAN help us get this built.

Consider that number Andreas mentioned. Frankly, I think its on the low side, but it IS the total for funding of the stages necessary to get everything designed and the initial prototypes built (as currently estimated).

If I had the entire amount, I'd fund it myself as a commercial project, I'm that comfortable with this team.


[ Edited by Jim 24.06.2017 - 22:29 ]