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

Valdis.Kletnieks
2003-01-07T15:06:49Z

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On Tue, 07 Jan 2003 10:08:00 +0100, Helge Hafting <helgehaf@aitel.hist.no> said:
> loss. Giving away driver code (or at least programming specs)
> wouldn't be a loss to nvidia though - because users would still
> need to buy those cards.

It would be a major loss to nvidia *AND* its customers if it were bankrupted in
a lawsuit because it open-sourced code or specs that contained intellectual
property that belonged to somebody else. Of course, if that happened, you'd
still have the "freedom" to buy the other vendor's cards - maybe(*)

In the real world, ideology needs to be tempered with realism.

(*) there's a ripple effect here - if the otherwise-best laptop is only
available with an nvidia card, you now have the "freedom" to choose a otherwise
less-suitable model. And so on....

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