Nick Rout, 2003-11-26 09:30:23:
> [...snip...] excellent linux support does not have to equate to open
> source drivers. I agree OS is preferable. I am not sure why the big 3
> 3d board manufacturers do not open their drivers.
It's because too few people protest with their wallets, or discuss
the problem in groups like ours.
> after all you cannnot use the driver without buying the card. Perhaps
> the details necessary to open the driver would give away too much
> about their hardware details. If that is the case then they have a
> legitimate concern. graphics chips are a very competitive market.
Agreed, but there's no reason competition shouldn't help open them up in
the long run, too. That's up to us (...and, I would've thought,
publications with titles like "Linux Journal").
Anyway. Support:
If I'm not allowed to know how my hardware works, I'm at the mercy of
the manufacturer for everything - including the drivers.
Now, even if the manufacturer is more responsive and helpful than its
competition - and nVidia might well be - there are still things they'll
just flat-out refuse to help with, and just plain be unable to deal with
(...leaving me nowhere to turn). And they'll eventually discontinue the
product and refuse to help me altogether, becuase it would inconvenience
them to bother. And then, one day... they'll go out of business. So
much for "support".
I also run the risk of an employee going postal and inserting something
nasty into the driver. Or the company adding spyware intentionally. I
have _no_ way to know. Nor do you.
See, I can't for the life of me understand how any of the above supports
me, you, or GNU/Linux. It's rude. All it does is make me needlessly
reliant on a company and put me at risk in a couple of ways. I don't
like risks, or being reliant. It's something straight out of a
<del>Microsoft</del> horror movie. The MS mindset is sneaking in under
the radar with "We support Linux!" printed on the box.
> take a few things as given and you will see that nvidia are the best
> choice (maybe the best of a bad bunch, but we are talking practicalities
> here)
If we're being _really_ practical (...and a desire to play the latest
and greatest video game is not practical...), there's a better choice.
Look at second hand video cards. Perfectly good hardware, with the
added bonus of _not_ paying a manufacturer to help screw your favourite
Operating System and mine.
For someone who Just Wants To Get Things Done, but still with the
ability to have fun with tuxracer, armagetron[1], celestia, etc.,
something like a second-hand Rage 128 would be spot-on.
[big snip]
[1] It's execllent :)
http://armagetron.sourceforge.net/
Tim
--
Timothy Musson - [EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~trmusson/
. . .!07/11 PDP a ni deppart m'I !pleH
