Date: Sun, 3 Mar 2002 10:50:13 -0600 From: Bob Giesen <BobGiesen@earthlink.net> To: "Justin L. Boss" <jlboss@yahoo.com>, Benjamin Krueger <benjamin@macguire.net>, "Brian T . Schellenberger" <bts@babbleon.org> Cc: "freebsd-questions@freebsd.org" <freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG> Subject: Re: NVIDIA 3D FreeBSD Drivers Message-ID: <E16hZBo-00013J-00@falcon.prod.itd.earthlink.net> In-Reply-To: <20020303154106.0165637B402@hub.freebsd.org> References: <20020303024505.6646337B400@hub.freebsd.org> <20020303011935.S12253@rain.macguire.net> <20020303154106.0165637B402@hub.freebsd.org>
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On Saturday 02 March 2002 10:05 pm, Justin L. Boss wrote: > You are all missing the point. This is for 3d hardware support > first of all. I'm using a G-Force2 now and it work just fine for me > too, with out 3d support. It is also about letting people know how > many people use FreeBSD, its about letting hareware and software > vendors know that they need to be writing drivers, application and > games for FreeBSD because so many people use it. I don't like linux > and I do not like comparing FreeBSD and linux because FreeBSD > towering over linux in every way. But one thing I will say is that > linux users are willing to fight for linux . That may be one of the > resons why linux is more popular then FreeBSD. It sure isn't > because linux is better. Someone will say "theirs no games for > FreeBSD that use 3d acceleration yet" and I say "their won't be > until it can support it". You can't put the horse before the buggy. > No one can say for sure that FreeBSD will be around forever. I > sure the FreeBSD team would say if it wasn't for our contbution > when we get the four set cd-rom for $29-$39. If we didn't donate > our money they would have to close down. I can't be sure but it > takes money to make the world go round ask Enron. And the more > vendors that support FreeBSD, the more people will use FreeBSD, the > more money will come in and the faster freeBSD will grow and the > more we will benefit. I just woke up so if this is screw up sorry > but you get the just. Pretty damn eloquent for someone who just woke up. Sure, I'd like to see vendors supply all the information we need to be able to interface with their products as we see fit, but when they are unwilling to do so but might be willing to provide drivers, they should be encouraged to do so. As Brian said, their hands may be tied. Anyway, in Nvidia's case, after all, their business model is certainly predicated on selling a lot of cards to m$ users and then to Linux users, since that's the next-most prevalent OS in the x86 world. Most couldn't care less about programming specs -- just that their displays look cool. And, as Justin pointed out, it's $$ that oils the machine. So, if Nvidia is inclined to grow its base by providing ready-made drivers for FBSD, I'd suggest that we encourage them and, should they comply, graciously accept their offerings. After all, as Justin pointed out, the more support FBSD gets, the more users will come over -- bringing even more support with them. That seems to me to be an especially good thing, since I've regularly heard the complaint that there aren't enough people willing and able to contribute to FBSD development... which also goes to point out another positive aspect of vendor-supplied drivers: not having to develop those drivers allows FBSD user/developers to spend their time on other productive and/or fun pursuits. Reflecting on the potential growth of the FBSD does sometimes conjure up a scary thought, which reminds me of the old saying that a camel is a horse designed by committee... Linux has become a camel, with all of its flavors' advocates vying for controlling influence. Of course, even though I'm sure L.T's intentions were good, Linux doesn't have the thoroughbred bloodline of FBSD. Let's never forget that -- and let's never allow the integrity of this solid OS to be compromised by politicking. -- "The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism." -- Norman Vincent Peale To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message
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