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Re: more evil firmwares found



Well, digging out the G400 docs, I've negated my own argument:

> It is a trade-off of a definite outcome versus a roll of the dice.  We
> are trading a 100% chance of an inconvenience to users, for a
> less-than-100% chance that the blob in any particular case is a
> program-without-source and is thus hampering the freedom of the user.

(C) Matrox:

	There are two major advantages to use the WARP. The WARP is
	completely programmable and it can do complex computations in
	parallel with the graphic engine and the CPU.
	
	The format and interpretation of the information that is sent to
	the WARP depend on the micro- code. For the purpose of 3D
	interfaces, the micro-codes are used to setup triangles into the
	graphic engine, hence, the information is interpreted as vertex
	information.
	
	With the WARP running, the driver just has to setup the graphic
	engine with the type of primitive to draw (texture format, Z
	compare, alpha blend...) and send vertex information to the
	micro- codes.

	The micro-codes (or pipes) that are distributed in this DDK are
	those in use in the current G200/G400 Direct3D/MCD/ICD drivers.
	These pipes can be the starting points of a driver that use the
	WARP. To have a completely optimized driver and because each 3D
	interface are different, the WARP pipes would need to be
	redesign for each specific uses.

So the mga microcodes are programs, no further argument on that
angle.  Now the question is whether they were generated from a higher
level language or from an assembler.  If they were generated from
a higher level language, they are definitely headed for non-free.  If
they are generated from an assembler, it is possible to construct an
assembler and accompanying listing that directly maps a set of mnemonics
to the required instructions.  Maybe it isn't the ORIGINAL source, but
it is _a_ source.

I think I'll be doing some footwork on this one.

-- 
Ryan Underwood, <nemesis@icequake.net>

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