Return-Path: <linux-kernel-owner+willy=40w.ods.org@vger.kernel.org>
Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand
	id <S265725AbTABGEE>; Thu, 2 Jan 2003 01:04:04 -0500
Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org
	id <S265754AbTABGEE>; Thu, 2 Jan 2003 01:04:04 -0500
Received: from codepoet.org ([166.70.99.138]:8417 "EHLO winder.codepoet.org")
	by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id <S265725AbTABGEC>;
	Thu, 2 Jan 2003 01:04:02 -0500
Date: Wed, 1 Jan 2003 23:12:33 -0700
From: Erik Andersen <andersen@codepoet.org>
To: Bill Huey <billh@gnuppy.monkey.org>
Cc: Paul Jakma <paul@clubi.ie>, Rik van Riel <riel@conectiva.com.br>,
       Hell.Surfers@cwctv.net, linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org, rms@gnu.org
Subject: Re: Why is Nvidia given GPL'd code to use in closed source drivers?
Message-ID: <20030102061233.GA20916@codepoet.org>
Reply-To: andersen@codepoet.org
Mail-Followup-To: Erik Andersen <andersen@codepoet.org>,
	Bill Huey <billh@gnuppy.monkey.org>, Paul Jakma <paul@clubi.ie>,
	Rik van Riel <riel@conectiva.com.br>, Hell.Surfers@cwctv.net,
	linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org, rms@gnu.org
References: <Pine.LNX.4.50L.0301011439540.2429-100000@imladris.surriel.com> <Pine.LNX.4.44.0301012356270.8691-100000@fogarty.jakma.org> <20030102013736.GA2708@gnuppy.monkey.org>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Disposition: inline
In-Reply-To: <20030102013736.GA2708@gnuppy.monkey.org>
User-Agent: Mutt/1.3.28i
X-Operating-System: Linux 2.4.19-rmk2, Rebel-NetWinder(Intel StrongARM 110 rev 3), 185.95 BogoMips
X-No-Junk-Mail: I do not want to get *any* junk mail.
Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org
X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
Content-Length: 1557
Lines: 31

On Wed Jan 01, 2003 at 05:37:36PM -0800, Bill Huey wrote:
> Obviously a GPL rewrite of this would entail a lot of replicated effort
> and would also depend on things that are incomplete, non-existent and
> don't have a lot direct interest from the GPL community. 3D isn't a hot
> commodity in Linux, FreeBSD unlike with dedicated SGI machines (although
> faded).

Ahh, but replicated effort is something that open source people
do very well at indeed.  If nvidia provided non-functional GPL
source code with all the proprietary 3rd party bits ripped out, 
I would expect a hoard of developers would jump at the chance to
fixup the non-functional mess, clean it up, reimplement all the
missing proprietary bits.  I'd bet you $20 US we could have a
functional driver within 2 weeks.  And have a high quality driver
roughly equal to their proprietary one within 6 months.  Thats
the way things work around these parts of the net.  I bought a
copy of Quake when they GPLd their code to show support.  I
similarly bought a copy of Quake II after they GPLd their code.
If Nvidia released their code under the GPL, I'd buy one of their
cards.  As is, I'm sticking with my ATI card...

 -Erik

--
Erik B. Andersen             http://codepoet-consulting.com/
--This message was written using 73% post-consumer electrons--
-
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org
More majordomo info at  http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
Please read the FAQ at  http://www.tux.org/lkml/