Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S271047AbUJUW4R (ORCPT ); Thu, 21 Oct 2004 18:56:17 -0400 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S271040AbUJUWqj (ORCPT ); Thu, 21 Oct 2004 18:46:39 -0400 Received: from pop.gmx.de ([213.165.64.20]:29612 "HELO mail.gmx.net") by vger.kernel.org with SMTP id S271057AbUJUWpq (ORCPT ); Thu, 21 Oct 2004 18:45:46 -0400 X-Authenticated: #4399952 Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 01:02:12 +0200 From: Florian Schmidt To: Timothy Miller Cc: Linux Kernel Mailing List Subject: Re: HARDWARE: Open-Source-Friendly Graphics Cards -- Viable? Message-ID: <20041022010212.53117f35@mango.fruits.de> In-Reply-To: <4176E08B.2050706@techsource.com> References: <4176E08B.2050706@techsource.com> X-Mailer: Sylpheed-Claws 0.9.12b (GTK+ 1.2.10; i386-pc-linux-gnu) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Content-Length: 1498 Lines: 29 On Wed, 20 Oct 2004 18:02:51 -0400 Timothy Miller wrote: > In short, what I have been proposing to my superiors is the development > of a graphics card specifically for open source systems. This means > full disclosure on all register interfaces so that no one has to deal > with anything closed source (BIOS included). The goal here is to > produce a graphics card which is a Free Software geek's dream in terms > of openness. If Tech Source (me being its avatar) can develop a > relationship with the Linux (and BSD) community, users and developers > can get a product that they want without being locked out by hardware > vendors that feel they have to protect every last little bit of IP > relating to their products. The EXPRESS PURPOSE of this product is to > be free-software-friendly. Maybe a graphics card is too coslty to develop and implement. I would really like to see such a project for an open soundcard. I mean how expensive can it be to slap a dsp plus some DA/AD's on a pci board? A simple 4in/4out card doing up to 48/16 or even 96/24 could probably be developed much cheaper than a graphics card. And it could serve as a test on how people would react to such an "open" hardware product. flo - 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/