Kernel 2054 breaks nvidia.ko loading

[alan]

On Thu, 16 Mar 2006, Gilboa Davara wrote:

> On Thu, 2006-03-16 at 16:50 +0100, Arjan van de Ven wrote:
>>>  It might cut down on the number of "Fedora
>>> ate my baby" posts.
>>
>>
>> so far most initial FC releases broke nvidia, so I don't expect that
>> backlash :)
>>
>> (and future ones most likely again will break it, at some point even
>> permanent. it's not a question of if but a question of when)
>>
>
> ...Hopefully when Linux users will have sufficiently powerful GPU with
> mature open-source drivers alternative *.

That is not going to happen until the patent and copy control issues get 
straightened out.

Patents are an issue due to liability.  From what I have been told by a 
chip designer, everyone steps on everyone elses patents.  If you have an 
open source driver, it is easier to prove the violation.  If you have a 
closed source driver, it costs a million dollars or more to reverse 
engineer it to prove.

One company that I know of does not release all their hardware information 
due to one bit in one library.  It is the one that toggles Macrovision for 
their mpg functions.  The mpaa and thier ilk have threatened them with 
kneecapage if they release the library in the form that those nogoonick 
open source commies can render their bits copyable.

Wireless drivers have similar legal issues.  The FCC does not want open 
source firmware because that would allow you to change power levels and 
frequencies outside of authorized ranges.

None of these people have heard of disassemblers.

-- 
"George W. Bush -- Bringing back the Sixties one Nixon at a time."