alt Hacker News>Anybody can build a RISC-V chip. You do not need permission.
No, anybody can’t build a RISC-V chip. That’s the same mistake OSS proponents make. Just because something is open source doesn’t mean bugs will be found. And just because bugs are found doesn’t mean they will be fixed. The vast majority of people can’t do either.
The number of people who can design a chip implementation of the RISC-V ISA is much, much smaller, and the number who can get or own a FAB to manufacture the chips smaller still. You don’t need permission to use the ISA, but that is not the only gate.
I think it was clear that they were saying anybody is permitted to build a RISC-V chip, not that anybody has the skills.
> The number of people who can design a chip implementation
Thankfully you don't have to start from scratch. There are loads of open source RISC-V chip implementations you can start from.
> get or own a FAB to manufacture the chips
There is always FPGAs and also this:
https://fossi-foundation.org/blog/2020-06-30-skywater-pdk