On Fri, 2006-06-02 at 11:00 +0200, Jonas Helgi Palsson wrote:
A post by Arjan van de Ven ( a kernel dev) on LKML 12 dec 2005 sheds a light on the kernel developers view: http://marc.theaimsgroup.com/?l=linux-kernel&m=113378006232564&w=2 I copy his "Doomsday scenario" mail here. Follow the link to read the discussion that followed (it was not short :-)
And Arjan van de Ven is very correct in many ways. Now I've said it before and I'll say it again -- the major key to ATI and nVidia opening up their _kernel_ interconnect-memory driver is if and when Intel stop asserting its IP (which it doesn't use in its driver). Remember -- ATI and nVidia drivers are 2 parts -- kernel (interconnect-memory) and user (LibGL/X11/GLX). The user space can be completely closed source, open standard -- per the MIT and XFree86-4/Xorg licenses. The interfaces are designed for closed source, open standard drivers. -- Bryan P.S. Rumor has it that AMD is going to buy ATI. I don't think people realize how _significant_ of a move that is. If AMD creates a direct system interconnect HTX GPU -- instead of the uber-proprietary hack of using a peripheral bus and with Intel IP to do all sorts of non-sense in software so it acts like its on the system interconnect -- then I think you'll see a 100% GPL driver for ATI HTX cards on AMD HTX systems. That's still in the future, but it could very well happen -- especially for chipset-integrated video (bringing commodity Xgl to the masses)! -- Bryan J. Smith Professional, technical annoyance mailto:b.j.smith@ieee.org http://thebs413.blogspot.com ------------------------------------------------------- Illegal Immigration = "Representation Without Taxation" -- Check the headers for your unsubscription address For additional commands send e-mail to suse-linux-e-help@suse.com Also check the archives at http://lists.suse.com Please read the FAQs: suse-linux-e-faq@suse.com