Andrew writes:
On Sat, 2007-04-28 at 23:13 -0400, Sam Varshavchik wrote:If you want to run closed, non-free binary software, there are plenty of other operating systems you can choose, which will give you as many non-free binary blobs as you wish. But that's not what Linux is all about.> They provide linux drivers for free (and have for years) Only for one specific definition of "free".What are nVidia taking?
Your money.
They are giving everything necessary to use their cards on Linux but not have to pay money for the drivers.
You certainly paid something for their hardware.
How are they asking you to make your software non-free?
That's not what I said. That's a fairly-well constructed strawman you've just built.
Got a copy of that email from them? ... And yes I know what your answer is going to be ...
Ok, then you should've saved me the trouble of posting it.
should I already rebut it?
Knock yourself out.
You think that since their software cannot be included in a 'your definition free' distribution that it matters? Why?
Because it does.
We all have definitions of free.
Yes, and there's two of them, in the English language. Much of the confusion stems from merging the synonyms for "liberty", and "without cost", into a single word. This unfortunate historical accident must be blamed for causing constant confusion, on the part of simple-minded folks, ever since. But, other languages managed to evolve past that point; hopefully, some day, the King's English will do as well.
RedHat linux ... is that free?
Yup.
No - you must pay for it and they claim copyright over it and also consider it a violation of their agreement to have their distribution without paying money for it.
You don't know what you're talking about. Look up. See there? High up in the sky? Way above your head? It's a big, honking clue, and it's called "CentOS".
That's not free either in the 'money' definition of the word.
That's more free than Nvidia's definition of free.
> - better than many companies ... I wouldn't say that.Why?
Because.
There are many companies who do not ever offer linux drivers, nor support developers to produce them.
They don't need to offer a Linux driver for their USB mouse. Just to join _that_ thread into this one, for efficiency's sake.
> Do you provide the linux community with something as good as they > do that is used by so many people for free? ...I would give a ballpark estimate of around million people worldwide who are using my free software. I don't know how that stacks up to the Nvidia's fan club.You think courier mail is that popular? I have no idea :P
Well, you can begin with imap.spamcop.net, as a starting point, and go from there.
> Reading your comment seems to be very critical of nVidia. > Though, of course, I could have read your comment wrong ... Nope, you've got it pretty much nailed.Meh - feel free to reply once more - but I shall not continue this since it has been debated before.
Come 'ere, and I'll bite ya kneecaps off!
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