Re: [gentoo-desktop] Re: ati-driver 8.16.20 and kernel 2.6.12

[Chris Gianelloni]

On Wed, 2005-08-31 at 05:08 -0700, Duncan wrote:
> Benjamin Grauer posted <4314E255.3040405@××××××××××××.ch>, excerpted
> below,  on Wed, 31 Aug 2005 00:48:53 +0200:
>
> > i read on the absolutely lousy ati-page, that the new driver 8.16.20 now
> > finally supports kernel2.6.12, but the package is not in portage...
>
> Note that I'm not a developer, so won't address the question of when the
> new driver might be in portage or why it isn't yet there.  This post
> addresses your other options.

Ehh... our package is patched anyway, so information on the ATI web site
doesn't necessarily apply.

> <strong-personal-opinion>
>
> Personally, I refuse to run what I call "slaveryware", that is, drivers
> that are closed source and therefore not "freedomware".  However, I accept
> that some gamers and the like are willing to live with closed source
> drivers, preferring to live with the closed source aspect, in ordered to
> get the hardware accelerated 3D frame-rates.  While I consider such a
> choice the equivalent of selling one's soul to the devil -- supporting a
> company that refuses to open up their sources for /proper/ open source
> support, that's a personal opinion that I realize others don't necessarily
> share, and to force my opinion on others would be more rights violating
> than the companies refusing to support open source.
>
> </strong-personal-opinion>

Was there a point in this? (again)

After all, it would be "slaveryware" if when you walked into CompUSA,
someone bound you, grabbed an NVidia video card, put it in your
computer, then forced you to use it along with the binary drivers
without any choice whatsoever.  Nothing is *ever* "slaveryware" so long
as you can choose to not use it, so please, please, PLEASE... DO NOT
EVER USE THAT TERM AGAIN... it is insulting and degrading, as I have
told you multiple times now.  Perhaps you could think of something
slightly less offensive to call it, rather than continuing to use a
terminology that implies being bound and forced against one's will?

Nobody gives a damn about your opinion that someone has sold their soul
because they happen to use a piece of software that isn't 100% open
source.  It's just software, man.  Are you this adamant about Oracle, or
games, or any other piece of closed-source software?  Have you ever
heard of *licensing* intellectual property from another company?
Perhaps they *cannot* release a complete set of drivers/sources/specs
legally?  Have you *ever* considered that before making your
self-centered degrading comments?

The guy is asking a *technical* question.  Leave your pseudo-moral
political bullshit out of the conversation, please.  It isn't requested
nor warranted.

Thank you...

> Of course, another viable option would be returning to a kernel <2.6.12.

This might be your easiest course of action.

> Finally, since you say the new closed source drivers aren't in portage
> yet, you have the option of installing them using ATI's install
> procedure, and using package.provided to tell portage they are installed,
> if anything else in portage requires them.

Is there a bug for having these drivers added to portage?  Have you
added yourself to the CC list?

-- 
Chris Gianelloni
Release Engineering - Strategic Lead/QA Manager
Games - Developer
Gentoo Linux