Linked by Thom Holwerda on Tue 19th Dec 2006 17:40 UTC, submitted by anonymous
"I've been saying for years that Linux was well along on its way from being the tech fanboy operating system of choice, to becoming one of big business' favorite operating systems. Well, I was right all along, but in 2006, that progress smacked many Linux fans in the face. This is my list of the five most significant changes in Linux this year. They are not changes, however, that many who have embraced Linux in the past will appreciate. Like it or lump it, these are the changes that I also think clearly predict Linux's future in the mainstream."
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Member since:
2006-01-09
Again, I think the point of my post was missed. You can complain that these drivers are not open-sourced, and you can continue to champion that effort, but in the meantime, you have working binary drivers. Why not simply include them and make it easier for the average user to get into Linux?
I guess that one of the main reasons why these drivers arenīt included on Linux distros by default it is because of licensing incompatibilities. Linux distros cannot ship binary drivers linked by default with the Linux kernel as they are redistributing the resulting product that would be violating the GPL license. Nothing prevents the end user of installing them whenever he/she wants, of course.
So, in my eyes, all this discussion if those drivers should or should not be shipped with Linux distros is useless. As per the current licensing terms, they simply CANNOT do that.
And I like it that way. Rayiner, twenex and a few others have already stated the reasons much better than I can anyway, so thereīs no point rehashing that.