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    SubjectRe: Why is Nvidia given GPL'd code to use in closed source drivers?
    Date
    On Wednesday 08 January 2003 06:28 am, Mark Hounschell wrote:
    > Helge Hafting wrote:
    > > Valdis.Kletnieks@vt.edu wrote:
    > > > On Tue, 07 Jan 2003 10:08:00 +0100, Helge Hafting
    <helgehaf@aitel.hist.no> said:
    > > > > loss. Giving away driver code (or at least programming specs)
    > > > > wouldn't be a loss to nvidia though - because users would still
    > > > > need to buy those cards.
    > > >
    > > > It would be a major loss to nvidia *AND* its customers if it were
    > > > bankrupted in a lawsuit because it open-sourced code or specs that
    > > > contained intellectual property that belonged to somebody else.
    > >
    > > Perhaps their driver contains some IP. But I seriously doubt the
    > > programming specs for their chips contains such secrets. It is
    > > not as if we need the entire chip layout - it is basically
    > > things like:
    > >
    > > "To achieve effect X, write command code 0x3477 into register 5
    > > and the new coordinates into registers 75-78. Then wait 2.03ms before
    > > attempting to access the chip again..."
    > >
    > > Something is very wrong if they _can't_ release that sort of
    > > information.
    > > Several other manufacturers have no problem with this.
    >
    > Aren't nvidias' chipsets really owned by SGI. It think there is some deal
    > nvidia has with SGI that prohibits nvidia from opening up their driver and
    > chip set info. It's looking like SGI might be gone soon. Maybe if they
    > disappear, nvidia can do what they want???

    Think they sold it to Microsoft....

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    Jesse I Pollard, II
    Email: pollard@navo.hpc.mil

    Any opinions expressed are solely my own.
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