popey
Is there a decent low-cost RISC-V machine available yet, for testing stuff out on #Ubuntu desktop?
https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/testing-applications-on-risc-v-hardware/77319?u=popey
Testing applications on RISC-V hardware

Hullo! I have a bunch of snaps that I publish in the store. While everything should work the same on all architectures, that’s not always the case. GPU & driver differences, and other library quirks, mean that testing on amd64 doesn’t automatically assume the same snap works on arm64, for example. I can test the apps on amd64 (ThinkPad running Ubuntu) and arm64 (MacBook Air running Ubuntu Asahi), and, at a push (if I dig out a Raspberry Pi), on armhf. Some of which are built for “interesting”...

Ubuntu Community Hub
Feb 20 at 10:47amPubler
Show threadpopeyFeb 20
Ok, managed to get the RISC-V VM running and even installed Ubuntu desktop on it.
Show threadErtainFeb 20
@popey Looks good.
Show threadStevezFeb 20
@popey Nope 😒
But I will gladly sell you my BananaPi F3. It runs Bianbu pretty nicely... 🙂
Show thread[tj] - knows what your packets are thinkingFeb 20
@popey there isn’t even a high cost machine for testing desktop stuff yet.
Show threadpopeyFeb 21
@tj Brilliant response. Thank you. I will moderate my expectations :D
Show thread[tj] - knows what your packets are thinkingFeb 21
@popey like I’m totally super bitter about it (more so now I know you can get 160 core power 8 machines for £500), but it is a real problem for the future of the platform.

You need machines that can be a build farm of you want to expect a diverse package infrastructure.

Right now even looongarch is beating riscv at this.
Show threadJon SeagerFeb 20
@popey Mebbe the DeepComputing Framework board in a cheapo 3d printed case?
Show threadTill KamppeterFeb 20

@jnsgruk @popey No self-3D-printing required. There is a case from CoolerMaster which fits a @frameworkcomputer 13 motherboard so that you can use it like a PC.

I got a (now older) RISC-V motherboard from @deepcomputingio 's CEO Yuning Liang on FOSDEM 2025 for testing printing on RISC-V and I got it in such a case.

The case has Wi-Fi antennas (with adapter to connect to the board), VESA (100 mm) mount, stand.

No RISC(V), no fun!

#OpenPrinting #RISC_V

Show threadTobias HeiderFeb 20
@popey Keep in mind that 25.10 just bumped the ISA baseline to RVA23 and there are only few (if any) devices available that support that. if you intend to ever upgrade to a newer release I recommend waiting for one of those.