Maybe it’s almost time for cheap, non-x86, subnotebooks to hit the mainstream. I just read about the ARM-based Pegatron at Endgadget. I wager this won’t be as difficult to compile software for as the MIPS subnotebook is turning out to be.

Meanwhile, those Gdium people recently announced a program that they affectionately refer to as One Laptop Per Hacker (OLPH). The idea is to allow interested hackers to obtain pre-release access to Gdium units. I signed up for the program but never bothered to announce it here; hey, anything to reduce potential competition.

Anyway, I got an email tonight notifying me that I am accepted into the program. I’m getting cold feet, though, especially over the legal agreement I am expected to sign in order to procure the pre-release unit. If I wasn’t already in possession of my other MIPS subnotebook, I would jump right on top of this.

OTOH, this unit will undoubtedly be easier to develop for, since it’s partially designed for that purpose. Plus, it’s 64-bit (though I don’t know if that really means anything in the grand scheme of MIPS chips).

What do you think? Should I go for it, for the sake of FATE and the greater FFmpeg project?