3D card Recommendations

Bob Cober wrote:
> Lucas Vogel wrote:
> >> From: "Bob Cober" <cplusplus@home.com>
> >> Subject: Re: 3D card Recommendations
> >> NVidia's drivers are closed source.... :-(
> > ....
> >> Nvidia's drivers are cool because one driver works with all
> >> chips. Only problem is theyre closed source....
> > Pardon my ranting, but why is the fact that their drivers are closed source
> > make it a 'problem' ??? I don't understand why that constitues a 'problem'.
> > Lucas
> Good question Lucas. The fact that the drivers are closed-source is a
> problem because of the possibility that Nvidia could decide to stop
> supporting them.
> For example, if Nvidia stops updating the drivers, then there will be no
> more bug fixes and even more importantly no more support for future
> versions of OpenGL.
> If the drivers were open source, then the source code would be availible
> for anyone to continue supporting them even if Nvidia stopped.(Well
> anyone who was qualified to develop graphics drivers).
> Additionally, there are some people who will _*only*_ use free software
> for moral and ethical reasons.
> In my opinion, Nvidia has done an excellent job with their linux
> drivers, and I would recommend them to anyoneone. But to me, the
> drivers would be even better if they were open-source...

To Lucas: The problem with them is that for all the problems I hear
about with their latest release, there's nothing a driver author can
do. Even the people working on the "nv" driver for XF86 have their
hands tied. If they look at the downloadable source for nVidia's
drivers they could be legally liable for any further contributions to
the "nv" driver. I have downloaded and compiled their code for my
system in the past, but I always resisted any temptations to look at
it. Maybe someday I'll have the requisite skill to contribute and I
wouldn't want that sword over my head.

To Bob: If nVidia does stop officially supporting Linux, they'll get
run over by the penguin army. The "nv" driver I mentioned above is
getting better. I picked up an S3 Savage4 for this system and moved my
Viper V770 to my Mandrake Cooker box where updates come so often, it
isn't worth recompiling nVidia's official driver all the time. "nv" is
working better with each XF86 version.