Subject: Re: Linux in a binary world... a doomsday scenario
From: Arjan van de Ven <arjan@infradead.org>
To: Brian Gerst <bgerst@didntduck.org>
Cc: "M." <vo.sinh@gmail.com>, Andrea Arcangeli <andrea@suse.de>,
       William Lee Irwin III <wli@holomorphy.com>,
       linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
In-Reply-To: <4394ECA7.80808@didntduck.org>
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	 <20051206011844.GO28539@opteron.random> <43944F42.2070207@didntduck.org>
	 <20051206030828.GA823@opteron.random>
	 <f0cc38560512060307m2ccc6db8xd9180c2a1a926c5c@mail.gmail.com>
	 <1133869465.4836.11.camel@laptopd505.fenrus.org>
	 <4394ECA7.80808@didntduck.org>
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Date: Tue, 06 Dec 2005 15:49:40 +0100
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> Once again I'd like to point out that user's purchase power means jack 
> when they only have two choices for video:  ATI and Nvidia.  You can't 
> walk into a computer store and find anything else (I don't count 
> integrated video on the motherboard as a solution, since only Intel 
> boards have it, sorry AMD users).  Even over the web it's hard to find 
> anything else. 

(resending this since it seems the other mail didn't get anywhere)

Sure. But that doesn't mean there is no purchase power. HP, Dell and IBM
and co DO have purchasing power over NVidia and ATI. If they tell ATI or
NVidia to either go open source (unlikely) or rearchitect their drivers
to do the "hot IP" in userspace, it will happen. And YOU can influence
Dell and HP and IBM again. By complaining to their sales people. By
letting them know binary modules aren't going to cut it. Not just for
video, but for EVERYTHING. Once the Dell/HP/IBM sales people hear enough
of "binary isn't good enough", the message will get through, and those
vendors in turn will crank up the pressure. 

And enough people have influence when at work a linux desktop is
purchased (assumption I make here is that that's not going to be used
for 3D games), at such occasions you CAN influence the vendors and let
them know that the "binary" cards aren't an option. 

There are lots of opportunities to put pressure on vendors, either
direct or indirect. Nvidia has a support department. If they get enough
calls / letters about their solution not being good enough, they're more
likely to consider the rearchtect solution. 

On the other hand, if everyone just accepts it and praises them for
being a good citizen.. things will never change, and wireless is next.
Then audio. Then SATA. Then USB sticks. Then Networking.


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