Re: The future of "nv" driver (was: Linux compatible mainboards -another thought)
On Mon, 26 Apr 2010 08:03:24 -0400
"James P. Wallen" <jpwallen@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>
> On 01/-10/-28163 02:59 PM, Celejar wrote:
> > On Sat, 24 Apr 2010 09:53:27 -0400
> > "James P. Wallen"<jpwallen@comcast.net> wrote:
> >
> > ...
> >
> >> Heck, I haven't even installed the non-free firmware to make wireless
> >> work in a couple of these notebooks.
> >
> > Firmware runs on the external hardware, not the system, so system
> > stability shouldn't be an issue. I assume that here it's just the
> > principle of the thing.
> >
> > Celejar
>
> I'd characterize it as a combination of principle and curiosity. I
> really want to see how well I can accomplish what I want to do and what
> I need to do using only FOSS. I'm relatively new to GNU/Linux, but I've
> had very few problems that were at all difficult to resolve. Come to
> think of it, the only problems that were absolutely indomitable were
> caused by the use of non-free software / drivers in my earlier forays
> into the various distributions. I guess those experiences have
> strengthened my resolve to stick with FOSS.
What makes the non-free firmware question particularly interesting is
that the alternative is often to hardcode the functionality into the
hardware. Now, if you had a board with completely closed HW, but that
presented an open, well documented interface for the driver, most
people would be very happy (although there are, of course, the open
hardware crusaders - more power to them!). So, now that they've simply
implemented some of that functionality in SW, in the form of firmware
which the driver installs on the card, but which has nothing to do with
your host machine, are you really any worse off?
Celejar
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