A constant thorn in the eye of many Linux kernel developers is the existence of closed-source kernel modules, most notably those by Nvidia and Ati, but also some file system drivers and other elements. Most of the Linux developers have been against these modules ever since they were first used, and in fact, bug reports originating from a tainted kernel are often disregarded and ignored. The kernel developers have now rallied together by issuing a statement urging vendors to release open source Linux kernel modules and drivers.
To view parent comment, click here.
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
Member since:2005-11-05
Indeed. But I've noticed that when anyone on here points out a few cons, they usually attract posts that are, by your own admission, "angry".
I'm not in favour of Nvidia going open source simply to people-please, and I certainly think there's a fair case to make about the extent to which the "community" can match up to the best practices and track record of some commercial software. I can say this about Nvidia because it's part of the best. I wouldn't for a moment say it about a lot of other commercial outfits. Trying to paint everything in black and white won't help take Linux further. There are many grey areas where commercial outfits probably do a better job and I think this is one of them.
As for Debian, I am typing this on Debian and I know the story well. That doesn't mean I have to agree with everything Debian does. I think that their move to Iceweasel was ill-considered, driven by zealotry and a slap in the face to user-friendliness. Looking at how other distros have handled the issue, I'd say I'm not the only one who thinks so. But that's just my view, no more or less. And none of it makes me "angry".
Member since:2005-07-10
As I was about to answer with an angry post, let me explain why I think your original comment deserves angry answers.
First off, open sourcing something does not imply that nvidia will stop being involved in developing the driver or providing it. It would just mean that it's open source.
Second, what developers have been asking nvidia and others to do is open up the specs, so that it's at least possible to write open source drivers for their hardware with a reasonable amount of work. This would clearly not stop nor hinder nvidia from providing their own drivers, be they closed or open sourced, and you'd still be free to use them if you prefer them.
Third, this is not about painting everything black and white, it's not an ideological issue, though you try to frame it as one, but simply a practical and technical one. Closed source drivers and issues caused by them are simply unmaintainable for kernel developers. This is a very real problem and simply using the word zealot won't change this.
So,to sum it up, you mischaracterize the nature of the problem and the whole foundation of your argument rests on false premises. I think those are good reasons to get angry about.
Member since:
2006-08-29
This part of your comment is nothing but border line trolling, if not, a plain braindead snarky retort. It angered me because I know from the later parts of your comment, with regard to Xorg, that you are reasonably well read with regard to the state of the open source Free Desktop and must know what you wrote is stupid.
Iceweasel was not born out of 'some debian developers' distaste for Mozilla branding but rather the distribution of Mozilla's trademarked branding hindering efforts to exercise right already granted under the GPLv2 to every Firefox user to freely modify and/or redistribute the software.
If you want to use 'Firefox' on Debian, noone is stopping you. Go download the official binaries or build the tree from source with the branding intact. You can even apply those debian patches. Just don't distribute it as 'Firefox'. Seems fair to me.
As for the rest of your comment, yeah NVIDIA do a fantastic job in providing Linux drivers. But there are also downsides to their closed and relatively small Linux development effort.
What about support for new X features? EXA? RandR 1.2? Why are they not working with Intel to bring better video acceleration API's to the Free Desktop? Kernel-mode modesetting? How about the terrible 2D rendering performance? Go ask a Cairo developer about this last one, or browse NVNews).
None of the above is about slamming on NVIDIA. I love that they provide the high quality drivers they do. But all of the above could theoretically be implemented a lot faster if they open sourced their drivers under the GPL.
Of course there are pros and cons to all development models...