Some professionals still misunderstand if RISC-V refers to processor hardware and software, and whether it's free or not.
www.designnews.com, Sept. 30, 2020 –
RISC-V technology is used in the development of chip hardware, software, and the creation of intellectual property (IP). Recently, the open standard has gained increased interest with the potential US-based Nvidia acquisition of UK-based Arm processor systems. Arm processors dominate the global embedded and chip IP markets.
Many have noted that the acquisition by Nvidia will spur the growth of RISC-V technology as current Arm customers may now see NVidia as either a direct competitor or at least a quasi-competitor. For example, Chinese companies including Alibaba and Huawei - members of the open-source RISC-V foundation - may be one of the many potential beneficiaries of any retreat from Arm processor technology.