Re: Why is Nvidia given GPL'd code to use in closed source drivers?

Mike Galbraith
2003-01-03T05:59:18Z

At 08:06 PM 1/2/2003 -0800, Larry McVoy wrote:
>On Thu, Jan 02, 2003 at 10:32:30PM -0500, Richard Stallman wrote:
> > But we could make do with even less cooperation than that. If they
> > just provide the necessary specs to a person who wants to extend the
> > free drivers that exist, that would be sufficient.
>
>Yeah, if only the company that has invested millions in trying to scratch
>out a place to stand, if only they would give us their intellectual
>property for free, if only, why then we could steal that IP and give it
>to other people. And it would take us less time to do it if they would
>only cooperate. Why won't they cooperate?
>
>How dare they not give of the fruits of their labors for free.

<yank>
You're just saying that to justify your evil BK license ;-)
</yank> (hey, somebody was _gonna_ do it)

Seriously though, just what is it that graphic CPU makers are
protecting? I can't imagine "how to program our spiffy CPU'" docs exposing
anything important to their competition. Imagine Intel or AMD trying that
tactic for _their_ next CPU. What makes graphics CPUs so special?

-Mike