Opinion: NVIDIA drivers are a Good Thing [tm]

[Corné Beerse]

Rodolfo J. Paiz wrote:

> Guys/gals:
> 
> I've read a great deal of pro/con on this list about NVIDIA issuing 
> closed-source binary drivers and had not formed my own opinion yet. But 
> last week, I got a sweet bargain on a new system, and it had an NVIDIA 
> GeForce MX 400 card (64MB) in it. Since the driver (nv, I think...) 
> which X installed had noise on the screen at anything above 800x600 
> which got worse at higher resolutions, I went to get their closed drivers.
> 
> Despite the fact that I love RPM and was nervous about using something 
> else, their installer was extremely well done, and worked beautifully. I 
> had to install the kernel-source RPM package so it could compile its 
> kernel module, and I was easily able to follow the instructions to 
> modify my /etc/X11/XF86Config file. Inside of 10 minutes, I went from 
> 800x600 with noise to 1600x1200 and gorgeous.
> 
> I was delighted to see that they support many varieties of Linux, that 
> they provide a single driver file to fit nearly all their cards, that 
> the "nvidia-installer" can update itself to a newer version, and that 
> even though I can't manage it with RPM it makes things very easy for me. 
> I've always used the graphics card maker's own drivers on Windows too 
> (Matrox, ATI, others) so this is no different.
> 
> Their two primary arguments are that this installer is the only way they 
> can support lots and lots of Linux distros, kernel versions, etc., and 
> that the extremely competitive nature of their business makes it 
> unhealthy for them to open-source their code. I am willing to buy those 
> arguments as being reasonable; so while I would *prefer* open-source and 
> RPM, I can *accept* closed-source and custom installer.
> 
> After all, the end result is more hardware that can be used optimally 
> under Linux, easier adoption of Linux by more people, and an easier 
> computing experience for me. Conclusion? Two thumbs up!

Ok, so far so good. Now the following scenario:

You need an option in the kernel for which you have to rebuild it. Hence you do 
so follow the recipy in /usr/src/linux/README.

Reboot and.... NO DISPLAY Now you are in text mode (you think) and try to 
install the nvidia dirver. That fails because that says you are in X11 mode.

Hence `init 3` and you are realy in text mode. Next problem says nvidia: bad 
source....

... an that's the stage I'm in at this verry moment.

Other system, running SuSE and connected to the internet with a modem: nvidia 
will not install unles the kernel is patched. THis patching of the kernel and 
kernel source only takes a couple of hours to download, just to show me it does 
not work because the kernel is updated after the nvidia drivers...

My opinion:
For core drivers like for keyboard, display, mouse, disk, I'd say to open the 
specs of the software interface and let the community build and maintain the 
drivers.
For non-core drivers I might accept the nvidia way only for hardware I don't 
use. And that is reversable if it is known in advance.


CBee