An unattributed author: >>> Nvidia and ATI's drivers aren't included in the box. They could be. Frank Cox: >> Not under the current licensing conditions, they can't be and won't be. Windows >> Vista could also be included with every Fedora download; somehow I don't think >> that will be done either. Les Mikesell: > Section 2.1.2 of > http://www.nvidia.com/object/nv_swlicense.html > would seem to imply otherwise. This part (from the above link) would appear to be a problem: "2.1.2 Linux/FreeBSD Exception. Notwithstanding the foregoing terms of Section 2.1.1, SOFTWARE designed exclusively for use on the Linux or FreeBSD operating systems, or other operating systems derived from the source code to these operating systems, may be copied and redistributed, provided that the binary files thereof are not modified in any way (except for unzipping of compressed files)." Unless they've changed how *they* install it, it used to mangle OS files in a harmful manner (yes, *I* *have* been bitten by that), neccessitating some modification of their files to avoid that, cheifly the installation routines. You may argue that an install script is not binary, others would argue its all binary. > Chicken, meet egg... It will have an impact on sales when enough people > use Linux desktops, which will only happen when the distributions make > it usable enough on popular hardware. I think it's always going to be chicken and egg when you try to meld obsessively controlling commercial interests with FOSS. >> As far as I know, the latest drivers for the latest video cards don't come >> stock with Windows XP or Vista either. (I've never installed MS Windows on >> anything so I could be wrong here, but it has always been my understanding that >> they require a separate download.) > The usual practice is for the hardware vendor to deliver a machine with > windows and all the necessary drivers installed and tested. I'd say *badly* tested. Prebuilt systems that I've had to deal with have had poor performance, or hard to repeat kludgy work-arounds. > Many vendors keep updates online for things they have sold so you have a > central place to find them. Some might, but I've had a hell of a time trying to rebuild some Windows systems where the sound or video card needs special drivers that just aren't available anywhere other than the long-since-lost original install discs. Some Creative sound cards seem the worst at that. -- (This box runs FC6, my others run FC4 & FC5, in case that's important to the thread.) Don't send private replies to my address, the mailbox is ignored. I read messages from the public lists.
