Nvidia Issues Diplomatic Response to Linus Torvalds' F-Bomb

Status
Not open for further replies.
well... it looks like we're back to where we started... somehow Nvidia's PR response seems to imply they're not going to change anything from what they've been doing in the past
 

whooleo

Distinguished
Aug 8, 2010
719
0
19,010
I'm pretty sure nVIDIA has had much better driver support than other companies *COUGH* AMD*COUGH* so Linus needs to stop b****ing because nVIDIA drivers work pretty good under linux open source or not. This guy is just a clown I tells ya!
 

bluekoala

Distinguished
Feb 8, 2008
333
0
18,810
My guess is if either AMD or nVidia had grade A support for Linux, a lot of new rogue gaming and media consoles would appear on the market. Much like what we're seeing with android and how it's fueling innovation. Everyone wants a slice of the market so they are motivated to introduce new unique features; bigger/smaller, better and cheaper.

Whereas on the windows platform, due to it closedness, it would be hard to conceive that new typed of Windows devices could emerge from a garage.

Speaking of which, I'm going to see if there's any news on that "Steam console" I've been hearing rumors about.
 

alidan

Splendid
Aug 5, 2009
5,303
0
25,780
[citation][nom]bluekoala[/nom]My guess is if either AMD or nVidia had grade A support for Linux, a lot of new rogue gaming and media consoles would appear on the market. Much like what we're seeing with android and how it's fueling innovation. Everyone wants a slice of the market so they are motivated to introduce new unique features; bigger/smaller, better and cheaper.Whereas on the windows platform, due to it closedness, it would be hard to conceive that new typed of Windows devices could emerge from a garage. Speaking of which, I'm going to see if there's any news on that "Steam console" I've been hearing rumors about.[/citation]

most people get windows with their pc, and microsoft doesnt charge to make a windows game.

the only difference dev side is that linus makes up about 1% and even than, they are not gamers to begin with, and they want to move as far away as possible from pc if they can help it... so intensive isnt there.
 
This is not only about support, but how the company "opens up" to the Linux community. That's one huge difference.

I actually think nVidia is doing a some-what good job with Linux, but for all the things they should be doing, is not enough if they're going to keep things closed to the rest. In that particular note, AMD is way better than nVidia (AFAIK) since they provide detailed spec sheets of their GPUs and, more often than not, use open technologies.

Cheers!
 

Filiprino

Distinguished
Dec 30, 2008
160
0
18,680
I don't know why so much has been made of the Linus' statement.

NVIDIA may not be very friendly to free software development, but at least they provide a good closed driver.

Also, we've to remind that Linus didn't use GPL license because it granted freedom, but because it helped him to make his kernel widespread. As such, he doesn't want to switch to GPLv3, because companies prefer GPLv2 due to it having a flaw that allows them to use the source code, redistribute it but users are unable to use a modified versions of that source code because the device needs the binary to be signed or whatever other protection you can imagine.

On other topic, I'll take a look again to bumblebee. It can work, but it's not a native solution and it sucks a bit.
 
[citation][nom]whooleo[/nom]I'm pretty sure nVIDIA has had much better driver support than other companies *COUGH* AMD*COUGH* so Linus needs to stop b****ing because nVIDIA drivers work pretty good under linux open source or not. This guy is just a clown I tells ya![/citation]
seriously? on a PC, sure I agree with you. but for Linux? Nvidia's the equivalent of apple, keeping everything behind closed doors and secret curtains. sure they pump out drivers, but without full spec sheets of their GPU dies, it doesn't do much for the software engineers behind all the Linux systems...

also, Linus may have gone a bit overboard just to make headlines, but he's still a legend in his own right... just a clown? I'm sure if you did a simple poll of you vs Linus 99% will vote you're the clown
 

bluekoala

Distinguished
Feb 8, 2008
333
0
18,810
[citation][nom]Yuka[/nom]This is not only about support, but how the company "opens up" to the Linux community. That's one huge difference.I actually think nVidia is doing a some-what good job with Linux, but for all the things they should be doing, is not enough if they're going to keep things closed to the rest. In that particular note, AMD is way better than nVidia (AFAIK) since they provide detailed spec sheets of their GPUs and, more often than not, use open technologies.Cheers![/citation]

This is somewhat true. AMD has FGLRX driver wich is proprietary and they also release documentation and provided resources to work on an open driver. The problem with the open source driver is that it does not have the same performance. The problem with proprietary driver is that it cannot be adapted very well to different environments by anyone else than the manufacturer. Since the manufacturer doesn't have or want to spend the resources necessary to make all the changes for every possible request then this driver is useless is many scenarios. And on the other hand, a lot of users are not willing to use the open driver because this means they will not be able to exploit the potential of their hardware. In Nvidia's case, there really isn't much of an option for an open driver so if their driver isn't doing what you want it to do you are screwed. For the average user who would install ubuntu to read e-mails and check facebook and maybe play the occasional OpenGL game or even gaming through WINE, this isn't an issue.

That's how I see it anyway.
 

bluekoala

Distinguished
Feb 8, 2008
333
0
18,810
[citation][nom]alidan[/nom]most people get windows with their pc, and microsoft doesnt charge to make a windows game.the only difference dev side is that linus makes up about 1% and even than, they are not gamers to begin with, and they want to move as far away as possible from pc if they can help it... so intensive isnt there.[/citation]

Whether MS charges, if Windows comes on a PC is not the point.
The point is that the graphics ecosystem is broken on Linux. Like anything else in this world, a working ecosystem is required for success. Since video games rely a lot on visuals/graphics, hence "Video" games, the PC market for gaming is dominated by windows primarily because windows has a superior superior VGA ecosystem.

Bill Gates realized the importance of gaming on his platform and that is a fact. If you want to know more about then read about the inception of DirectX. I doubt Mr. Torvalds feels differently.
 

kingtoke

Distinguished
Sep 19, 2004
6
0
18,510
email i received from tridef after trying to get their software to work with my nvidia card. the hack that fooled the nvidia drivers into beleiving my monitor was certified was extremely unstable and games crashed after around 10 minutes..
i switched to an ATI card and the 3d effect is both stable, and much, much superior to what i was getting on my nvidia card.


TriDef Support tridefsupport@ddd.com
10 May

to me

Hi blahblah,

Frame sequential is not supported by TriDef 3D on Nvidia based systems.
Nvidia won't open up their API to third parties which is the reason why we cannot support it, unfortunately. To output in frame sequential mode please refer to Nvidia's 3D Vision software.

Sorry for the inconvenience this may cause.


Best regards
TriDef Support



it shows nVidia are consistant in being a nightmare for third parties.
 

lp231

Splendid
[citation][nom]Zingam_Duo[/nom]I am happy I haven't bought any NVIDIA product for over 13 years (finger)[/citation]

The motherboard you bought most like have a SLI bridge. To say you have not bought a Nvidia product for over 13 years, makes absolutely no sense.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Once again, Linux needs to standardize it's API's and the general framework of the OS. Linux software needs to stop being deployed as "source" so thinkers can compile it, and start being deployed as pre-compiled programs that are certified to work on a variety of hardware.

The whole problem with OS's like Linux and Unix is that everyone and their mother that uses it wants to "compile" things their way and not follow standards. Of course there is going to be issues and bugs, NOTHING is standardized, Linux is pure chaos plain and simple. AND, until the Linux OS grows up and matures into an OS like Windows, or Mac OS 9 / OS-X (polished BSD clone), it will never get past this stereotype. Sorry, the truth hurts Mr. Linus

This isn't Nvidia's fault in the slightest.

Linux:

Too buggy
Too complicated
No standards.
 

metathias

Distinguished
Nov 3, 2011
63
0
18,660
Nvidia seemed to enable 30 bit color in linux in a recent linux release. I found that an impressive contribution, we windows people dont get that without workstation cards.
 
I frankly do not see anything of issue here. NVidia decided that it's better to provide a consistent user experience at the expense of being "open source", whatever that really means (because it depends on who you ask.) NVidia also decided that Linux has its share of problems to work out and Torvalds' emotional outburst is unfounded in some ways, at least (citing the contribution to ARM kernel).

In the end, NVidia is a business, and businesses are in the business of, well, making money for its stakeholders. The Linux community has a powerful tool called boycott to show their displeasure if they want to do so, but from my past recollections so far, NVidia offers better support for Linux distros than its competitor so...a boycott may be like choking yourself.
 

MarioJP

Distinguished
Dec 30, 2007
204
0
18,680
The fact that IJustWantToPost9 has been grayed has a very valid point and why Linux will never get off the launching pad. Standardization is good. Apple And even Google are doing it. Reason why i am not including MS on this because..Well Standardization is the game for MS lol. Enough with the Linux can do this do that for free because its not what you can do on the desktop. Its what people actually WANT that Linux can't do. Heck even Steam is on Mac OSX before Linux.
 

Houndsteeth

Distinguished
Jul 14, 2006
514
3
19,015
NVidia - generally good for consumers, but if you have ever dealt with them as an outside developer trying to get their drivers to work for your code, you will be frustrated in the extreme. I won't go into it any further, but when I saw the feed from the Aalto University seminar, I nearly jumped out of my seat cheering when Linus had the BALLS to drop the F-bomb and fly the bird for NVidia.

IJustWantToPost9, while i agree with your statement with regards to Linux APIs and general framework, but you will get this when you have an FOSS operating system and every distro seems to develop to its own standard for anything outside the kernel. What Linus was upset about was NVidia's recalcitrance to do anything about allowing the development community to fix longstanding support issues with regards to some NVidia kit, most notably the Optimus chipset.

Yes, Linux has bugs. Yes, it can get somplicated at times, especially when some other developer has dropped his spaghetti right in the middle of where you need to work. But there are standards, just not the ones that are rigid and set in stone like Mac OS X, or wishy-washy like Windows. They are more like recommendations, since telling FOSS developers what to do is like herding cats.

FWIW, I have had better luck submitting bugs and change requests to ANY FOSS project than I have EVER had when submitting bugs to NVidia.
 

MarioJP

Distinguished
Dec 30, 2007
204
0
18,680
What really boils down to like most have stated. Nvidia is a business that is actually making money. They got products to sell. Head over to their elite enthusiast department and people are actually dropping 1k for a video card. Who's really is at fault here. Not the consumers. Chances are if you have that kind of money to burn those people are either serious graphic design professionals or gamers. The fact that developers follows Apple's guidelines shows that as long as what they are building makes them money and Apple happy don't care what they are told to do and how they want it to be done thus feeding the cycle of making them rich. Sad but true that sometimes money does make the world go around indeed.

The more i read about these sort of articles and watch what people post about the article is starting to make me understand that Linux is a boycott OS. I haven't really heard about this guy other than his name just shows that sometimes the creator needs to step in and jump started instead of standing on the sidelines mumbling the issues at hand.
 

Vladislaus

Distinguished
Jul 29, 2010
1,290
0
19,280
[citation][nom]lp231[/nom]The motherboard you bought most like have a SLI bridge. To say you have not bought a Nvidia product for over 13 years, makes absolutely no sense.[/citation]
Just because a mobo has support for SLI doesn't mean it has hardware from nvidia in it.
 

lp231

Splendid
[citation][nom]Vladislaus[/nom]Just because a mobo has support for SLI doesn't mean it has hardware from nvidia in it.[/citation]
So the SLI bridge isn't from Nvidia? :p
 

freggo

Distinguished
Nov 22, 2008
2,019
0
19,780
As much as I support the open source community, from a business user deploying over 50 systems company wide I'd not dream about setting them up under Linux.
The open source community is like a kitchen with many cooks, but no chef and no clean up crew.

Microsoft and Apple may be all sorts of bad things, but at least their OS implementation is fairly predictable from system to system and version to version.

I just had to move a PHP/MySQL/SSL website from a Linux box to Server 2003 under IIS and I don't need to tell you how much 'fun' that was.
 

Vladislaus

Distinguished
Jul 29, 2010
1,290
0
19,280
[citation][nom]lp231[/nom]So the SLI bridge isn't from Nvidia?[/citation]
For example x48 and x38 chipsets don't support SLI yet we can use SLI by tricking the driver that the mobo has a x58 chipset. Also like I stated, only nvidia chipsets have nvidia hardware in it. Intel for example doesn't use any kind of nvidia hardware to run SLI.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.