Can you use a cheap FPGA board as a base for a new computer inspired by the original IBM PC? Well, yes, of course, so that’s what Yuri Zaporozhets has set out to do just that. Based on the GateMateA1-EVB, the project’s got some of the basics worked out already – video output, keyboard support, etc. – and work is underway on a DOS-like operating system. A ton of work is still ahead, of course, but it’s definitely an interesting project.
This has nothing to do with the IBM PC 5150. It’s neither the “original” IBM PC nor the “original” MS-DOS. Its developer might as well have compared it to the AGC unit from the Apollo program. “Because you can” isn’t a sufficient justification, in my opinion.
Why? I know people like to tinker, but why this?
Looks like a great foundational project in the RISCV space. From a brief look it seems like the dev board’s features are not fully utilized and it’s aiming for the FPGA powering everything.
I find the UCS2 text output disconcerting, but probably pragmatic if the idea was to support some European languages.
I am kind of amazed the new Commodore 64 Ultimate, or in fact the new Commodore Inc, has not been covered here. I guess this story is as good as any to bring it up.
https://www.commodore.net/