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Date: Wed, 08 Jan 2003 11:06:35 +0100
From: Helge Hafting <helgehaf@aitel.hist.no>
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To: Valdis.Kletnieks@vt.edu, linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
Subject: Re: Why is Nvidia given GPL'd code to use in closed source drivers?
References: <Pine.LNX.4.10.10301022110580.421-100000@master.linux-ide.org> <1041596161.1157.34.camel@fly> <3E158738.4050003@walrond.org> <3E159336.F249C2A1@aitel.hist.no> <3E15A2C8.7060903@walrond.org> <3E195A4B.B160B1D2@aitel.hist.no> <3E196749.8080509@walrond.org>
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Valdis.Kletnieks@vt.edu wrote:
> 
> On Tue, 07 Jan 2003 10:08:00 +0100, Helge Hafting <helgehaf@aitel.hist.no>  said:
> > loss.  Giving away driver code (or at least programming specs)
> > wouldn't be a loss to nvidia though - because users would still
> > need to buy those cards.
> 
> It would be a major loss to nvidia *AND* its customers if it were bankrupted in
> a lawsuit because it open-sourced code or specs that contained intellectual
> property that belonged to somebody else.

Perhaps their driver contains some IP.  But I seriously doubt the
programming specs for their chips contains such secrets.  It is
not as if we need the entire chip layout - it is basically
things like:

"To achieve effect X, write command code 0x3477 into register 5
and the new coordinates into registers 75-78.  Then wait 2.03ms before
attempting to access the chip again..."

Something is very wrong if they _can't_ release that sort of
information.
Several other manufacturers have no problem with this.

> In the real world, ideology needs to be tempered with realism.
> 
Sure.  But in this case, it is more about common sense than ideology.


Helge Hafting
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