Nvidia, Intel, and clout

[Bill G]

I suspect Nvidia is about as likely to open source its 3D code as
Microsoft is to open source Windows, perhaps less.  That's the price
they perceive for working with the Linux community on open source
Nvidia drivers:  Zillions of dirt cheap Nvidia knockoff cards using
that open sourced code, collapsing Nvidia sales,  and miniscule sales
to the Linux folks.

A better approach might be to recognize that 3D is not needed for most
day-to-day home, SOHO and corporate desktop work. In fact, the extra
cost that 3D adds to a card is just empty expense for those markets.
These people stare at monitors all day; what they want are great 2D
displays.  Work with Nvidia to improve the nv driver to deliver the
best possible 2D display. Forget about the gamers. Gamers will go
where the games are.







On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 17:46:58 +0000, James Wilkinson
<james at westexe.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> Bill Gradwohl wrote:
> > I've been on this list since early FC1, and Nvidia issues appear to be a
> > major problem area. I have no need for high end graphics as all the
> > Linux boxes we do are servers, so I've simply avoided the Nvidia
> > problems by not purchasing their products. I doubt Nvidia has notices
> > any decrease in sales on my account.
> 
> For what it's worth, most Nvidia products work perfectly well in 2D with
> the nv driver. And that one is *not* a major problem area.
> 
> I've simply avoided the Nvidia problems by not running any 3D graphics.
> Although I am considering buying a cheap PCI Radeon 92x0 graphics card
> while you can still get them...
> 
> But no decent server OS should require graphics. No server OS should
> require 3D.
> 
> 
> 
> > As a community, can't we influence Nvidia to cooperate in driver
> > development to resolve these issues for the unfortunates that have
> > innocently encountered this stumbling block on the road to Linux
> > deployment? There was a time when Linux in general wasn't a major
> > player, but that time is long gone. Linux now has clout, and
> > straightening out the Nvidia problems may be the venue to exercise it.
> > It might also send a signal to other problem vendors that not
> > cooperating will have $$$ consequences.
> 
> We're getting there. We've *got* there in server products: there are
> plenty of companies that take your attitude for "mission-critical
> servers" (if not because they themselves Believe in Free Software, then
> because they know Red Hat and other vendors believe, and they want
> support).
> 
> So the vendors (who want standardised components for their own sake)
> know that they need components with good Open Source drivers if they
> want to sell to those accounts. So their suppliers receive orders to
> choose the right components, and the manufacturers know they need the
> drivers to survive.
> 
> We're not there on the desktop yet. And I'm not sure how we're going to
> get there. Not for the 3D side of things.
> 
> It could yet come from handheld devices, running MIPS and ARM and SuperH
> and other non-PC CPUs. And handheld graphics suppliers will be expected
> to provide drivers for all sorts of weird combinations of hardware,
> fast.
> 
> It could come from the mass business desktop, with pressure for
> eye-candy from users and standard, simple installs from IT. (Red Hat is
> doing a lot in this area, and I suspect Nvidia's approach is going to
> leave them out in the cold).
> 
> > Trade papers like Computer Reseller News, Infoweek, E-Week, etc.
> > regularly report on Linux, so why not give them an article that
> > factually portrays Nvidia issues in an attempt to "influence" Nvidia's
> > sales. If the Fedora Project were to put out a press release stating
> > their concerns the major publications would likely print it, and
> > purchasers could be better informed leading to fewer problems on this
> > list, happier end users, and lowered sales for Nvidia.
> 
> I'm not convinced what the right answer is yet.
> 
> I suspect an ongoing theme that Nvidia and ATi are Second Class Citizens
> in the open source world would help. But there aren't enough first class
> citizens yet.
> 
> James.
> --
> E-mail address: james | DON'T be put off by "horror stories" spread by
> @westexe.demon.co.uk  | others.  People who talk about death and serious
>                       | injury are very rarely the ones who have actually
>                       | suffered such things.  -- Adrian Plass
> 
> 
> 
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