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"Boyd Stephen Smith Jr." <bss03@××××××××××.net> posted |
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200609281315.19206.bss03@××××××××××.net, excerpted below, on Thu, 28 Sep |
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2006 13:15:14 -0500: |
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|
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> I'm still using the NVidia proprietary drivers, because I have hardware |
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> that requires them for 3D acceleration (and a number of games that refuse |
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> to work un-accelerated). So, there's just not a tenable free alternative. |
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> |
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> With multimedia formats, there is a wealth free formats available, so I |
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> just don't use non-free formats. |
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> |
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> I will also remember NVidia when it comes time to purchase a new system, |
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> and buy something that has fully-functional and free drivers. e.g. freed |
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> ATI, Intel or perhaps the card from the open graphics project. |
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|
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I was in that situation for a bit over a year after I switched, and I |
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hated it. While I had been doing my research before switching and not |
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buying any hardware that didn't support Linux, from two years before I |
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actually made the switch (it /did/ make the switch MUCH easier, knowing |
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everything was supported =8^), unfortunately at the time I didn't grok the |
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difference between proprietary Linux support and /real/ Linux support -- |
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that is free software. Thus when I bought my video card I bought an |
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NVidia GForce 2 (not too bad at the time, tho it had come down in price |
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some), relying on the Twinview, which naturally isn't supported in the |
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free drivers due to lack of specs cooperation from NVidia. As a result, |
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tho I very quickly groked the difference between freedomware and |
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slaveryware drivers once I actually switched to Linux, I was stuck with |
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the hardware and the slaveryware for a year or so until I could again |
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upgrade, this time choosing a Radeon with /real/ Linux support. |
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|
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So yes, I know the feeling of being stuck as that slave very well, |
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unfortunately. =8^( Just getting onto Linux was a step in the right |
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direction, however, and I made /very/ sure I wouldn't make the same |
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mistake again once I realized it /was/ a mistake. Now I see folks |
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wondering why xorg 7.1 can't go stable, and just have to shake my head at |
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NVidia and ATI's gall, as I said, daring to hold the whole would-be free |
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sotware world hostage, even those not choosing to use their hardware, just |
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because they can, and can't/won't invest the time necessary in keeping up, |
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yet refuse to provide specs so they don't have to, as the xorg team would |
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take care of it. (You know xorg would if they could, given the |
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popularity of the hardware.) |
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|
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BTW, it's not just them. Sun was behind in supporting amd64 with Java as |
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well, and when they did, at first it was the server package only, no |
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desktop version. Fortunately, Sun has promised to open up some this year, |
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and the rest next year. We'll see. And the gnash solution is coming |
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along on that front as well. WMV support too seems to be coming, so |
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things aren't looking /too/ bad, with the worst news remaining on the |
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graphics chip hardware front, and Intel's new stuff being the only even |
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close to modern choice out. |
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|
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-- |
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Duncan - List replies preferred. No HTML msgs. |
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"Every nonfree program has a lord, a master -- |
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and if you use the program, he is your master." Richard Stallman |
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|
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-- |
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