http://jeremy.linuxquestions.org/2006/04/20/should-linux-allow-proprietary-drivers/ Open Source > Linux > LQ Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:17:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 http://jeremy.linuxquestions.org/2006/04/20/should-linux-allow-proprietary-drivers/#comment-241 Anonymous Tue, 25 Apr 2006 01:15:00 +0000 http://jeremy.linuxquestions.org/2006/04/20/should-linux-allow-proprietary-drivers/#comment-241 Well, think about it: most hardware already runs on linux; people run servers, desktops, clusters, etc. Even my mp3's sound better on linux than on windows, and I'm using ALSA, which is open source. Sure, nVidia and ATI can have their way with their closed-source drivers, as long as they don't create a threat to the kernel. It's all we need, we don't need propietary drivers, except for, maybe, winmodems. Well, think about it: most hardware already runs on linux; people run servers, desktops, clusters, etc. Even my mp3's sound better on linux than on windows, and I'm using ALSA, which is open source. Sure, nVidia and ATI can have their way with their closed-source drivers, as long as they don't create a threat to the kernel. It's all we need, we don't need propietary drivers, except for, maybe, winmodems.

]]> http://jeremy.linuxquestions.org/2006/04/20/should-linux-allow-proprietary-drivers/#comment-240 Anonymous Tue, 25 Apr 2006 01:14:00 +0000 http://jeremy.linuxquestions.org/2006/04/20/should-linux-allow-proprietary-drivers/#comment-240 Well, think about it: most hardware already runs on linux; people run servers, desktops, clusters, etc. Even my mp3's sound better on linux than on windows, and I'm using ALSA, which is open source. Sure, nVidia and ATI can have their way with their closed-source drivers, as long as they don't create a threat to the kernel. It's all we need, we don't need propietary drivers, except for, maybe, winmodems. Well, think about it: most hardware already runs on linux; people run servers, desktops, clusters, etc. Even my mp3's sound better on linux than on windows, and I'm using ALSA, which is open source. Sure, nVidia and ATI can have their way with their closed-source drivers, as long as they don't create a threat to the kernel. It's all we need, we don't need propietary drivers, except for, maybe, winmodems.

]]> http://jeremy.linuxquestions.org/2006/04/20/should-linux-allow-proprietary-drivers/#comment-239 Anonymous Fri, 21 Apr 2006 17:01:00 +0000 http://jeremy.linuxquestions.org/2006/04/20/should-linux-allow-proprietary-drivers/#comment-239 I think that this may be an argument that will rage on for ages. I think that the only way to convince hardware vendors to support Linux is to allow closed source code in the kernel. Otherwise they may never allow their drivers in. We may even get to a point where every distro will have to go down the Suse/Mandriva route: if you pay you get closed source software (nvidia, ati, etc) and you get none of it for the free download version. However, kudos to nvidia, ati and others for allowing us access to their drivers, even if they are proprietary. I think that this may be an argument that will rage on for ages. I think that the only way to convince hardware vendors to support Linux is to allow closed source code in the kernel. Otherwise they may never allow their drivers in.
We may even get to a point where every distro will have to go down the Suse/Mandriva route: if you pay you get closed source software (nvidia, ati, etc) and you get none of it for the free download version.
However, kudos to nvidia, ati and others for allowing us access to their drivers, even if they are proprietary.

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