Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]

Groups > linux.debian.user > #183832

Re: video driver?

Show all headers | View raw

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

On Tue, Jul 18, 2017 at 01:09:53PM +0100, Brad Rogers wrote:
> On Tue, 18 Jul 2017 06:52:05 -0400
> RavenLX <ravenlx@sitesplace.net> wrote:
> 
> Hello RavenLX,
> 
> >This poses an interesting question: Why would a company keep something 
> >proprietary such as a driver?
> 
> Control.  And the (misguided?) belief that they'll end up fielding tech
> support questions for driver modifications they didn't make.

Last, but not least, their opponents a leg up in the perverse "you stepped
onto one of our 15432 otherwise worthless patents!".

> >As a programmer, I don't think many (if any) would be able to say, 
> >reverse-engineer a chip or device, etc. and replicate it just by
> >looking at programming code (unless I'm mistaken)?
> 
> It'll certainly give people a few clues as to how nVidia achieve certain
> things.

Having (even) incomplete sources does help in reverse engineering. With
determination, even the headers + machine code go a long way (you need
impressive skills, good tools and loads of patience, but those are
all available).

> To be clear;  I'm not supporting nVidia's position, I'm simply playing
> Devil's Advocate.  OTOH, I can't claim to be totally against nVidia's
> position either;  I use their GFX cards and drivers on two machines
> here.
> 
> IOW, I don't pursue software freedoms with as much keenly as some others
> do.

Each has to find his/her position, and it'll be always a compromise.
For me, a behaviour like nVidia's is enough to avoid their products
in my purchase list.

Cheers
- -- tomás
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.12 (GNU/Linux)

iEYEARECAAYFAlluD7EACgkQBcgs9XrR2kb5wgCeItyFsBOYNc3C6wRgz1r1y3o9
3EcAnR7ZSOWg0JtQpVEsIeIZp+oD64JV
=2bYD
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

Back to linux.debian.user | Previous | Next — Previous in thread | Next in thread | Find similar | Unroll thread

Thread

video driver? "D. R. Evans" <doc.evans@gmail.com> - 2017-07-17 22:20 +0200
  Re: video driver? Felix Miata <mrmazda@earthlink.net> - 2017-07-17 22:40 +0200
  Re: video driver? Sven Joachim <svenjoac@gmx.de> - 2017-07-17 22:50 +0200
  Re: video driver? Teemu Likonen <tlikonen@iki.fi> - 2017-07-17 23:10 +0200
    Re: video driver? Doug <dmcgarrett@optonline.net> - 2017-07-18 05:40 +0200
      Re: video driver? Brad Rogers <brad@fineby.me.uk> - 2017-07-18 07:50 +0200
        Re: video driver? RavenLX <ravenlx@sitesplace.net> - 2017-07-18 13:00 +0200
          Re: video driver? Brad Rogers <brad@fineby.me.uk> - 2017-07-18 14:20 +0200
            Re: video driver? <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2017-07-18 15:50 +0200
          Re: video driver? Doug <dmcgarrett@optonline.net> - 2017-07-18 20:30 +0200
            Free software (was: video driver?) Teemu Likonen <tlikonen@iki.fi> - 2017-07-18 21:00 +0200
              Re: Free software Ben Finney <bignose@debian.org> - 2017-07-19 02:20 +0200
                Re: Free software Ben Finney <bignose@debian.org> - 2017-07-19 02:50 +0200
                Re: Free software Doug <dmcgarrett@optonline.net> - 2017-07-19 03:30 +0200
                Re: Free software Doug <dmcgarrett@optonline.net> - 2017-07-19 02:50 +0200
                Re: Free software Felix Miata <mrmazda@earthlink.net> - 2017-07-19 03:40 +0200
                Re: Free software rhkramer@gmail.com - 2017-07-19 14:10 +0200
                Re: Free software Ric Moore <wayward4now@gmail.com> - 2017-07-20 00:10 +0200
                Re: Free software Gene Heskett <gheskett@shentel.net> - 2017-07-19 06:00 +0200
                Re: Free software Doug <dmcgarrett@optonline.net> - 2017-07-19 06:40 +0200
                Re: Free software <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2017-07-19 10:40 +0200
                Re: Free software Fungi4All <fungilife@protonmail.com> - 2017-07-19 10:50 +0200
                Re: Free software Joel Rees <joel.rees@gmail.com> - 2017-07-20 00:50 +0200
                Re: Free software Doug <dmcgarrett@optonline.net> - 2017-07-20 01:10 +0200
                Re: Free software Joel Rees <joel.rees@gmail.com> - 2017-07-20 02:00 +0200
                Re: Free software Gene Heskett <gheskett@shentel.net> - 2017-07-20 03:30 +0200
                Re: Free software rhkramer@gmail.com - 2017-07-20 13:40 +0200
                Re: Free software Gene Heskett <gheskett@shentel.net> - 2017-07-20 15:00 +0200
                Re: Free software David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2017-07-20 22:50 +0200
                Re: Free software Doug <dmcgarrett@optonline.net> - 2017-07-20 20:50 +0200
                Re: Free software Joel Rees <joel.rees@gmail.com> - 2017-07-21 02:30 +0200
                Re: Free software Ric Moore <wayward4now@gmail.com> - 2017-07-20 00:20 +0200
                Re: Free software Gene Heskett <gheskett@shentel.net> - 2017-07-20 03:10 +0200
                Re: Free software Ric Moore <wayward4now@gmail.com> - 2017-07-22 04:00 +0200
                Re: Free software Gene Heskett <gheskett@shentel.net> - 2017-07-22 05:50 +0200
                Re: Free software Ric Moore <wayward4now@gmail.com> - 2017-07-22 07:10 +0200
                Re: Free software rhkramer@gmail.com - 2017-07-22 13:30 +0200
                Re: Free software Joe <joe@jretrading.com> - 2017-07-22 14:50 +0200
                Re: Free software Gene Heskett <gheskett@shentel.net> - 2017-07-22 17:00 +0200
                Re: Free software Nicolas George <george@nsup.org> - 2017-07-20 13:40 +0200
            Re: video driver? Brad Rogers <brad@fineby.me.uk> - 2017-07-18 21:20 +0200
            Re: video driver? <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2017-07-18 21:30 +0200
              Re: video driver? Fungi4All <fungilife@protonmail.com> - 2017-07-18 22:10 +0200
                Re: video driver? "tomas@tuxteam.de" <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2017-07-18 22:30 +0200
                Re: video driver? Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2017-07-19 02:20 +0200
              Re: video driver? Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2017-07-19 02:00 +0200
            Re: video driver? Dan Ritter <dsr@randomstring.org> - 2017-07-18 21:40 +0200

csiph-web