Re: Opinion: NVIDIA drivers are a Good Thing [tm]
From: Corné Beerse (cbeerse_at_lycos.nl)
Date: 05/18/04
- Previous message: Bob Jones: "Re: L440GX+ board"
- In reply to: Rodolfo J. Paiz: "Opinion: NVIDIA drivers are a Good Thing [tm]"
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Date: Tue, 18 May 2004 13:08:44 +0200 To: For users of Fedora Core releases <fedora-list@redhat.com>
Rodolfo J. Paiz wrote:
> Guys/gals:
>
> I've read a great deal of pro/con on this list about NVIDIA issuing
> closed-source binary drivers and had not formed my own opinion yet. But
> last week, I got a sweet bargain on a new system, and it had an NVIDIA
> GeForce MX 400 card (64MB) in it. Since the driver (nv, I think...)
> which X installed had noise on the screen at anything above 800x600
> which got worse at higher resolutions, I went to get their closed drivers.
>
> Despite the fact that I love RPM and was nervous about using something
> else, their installer was extremely well done, and worked beautifully. I
> had to install the kernel-source RPM package so it could compile its
> kernel module, and I was easily able to follow the instructions to
> modify my /etc/X11/XF86Config file. Inside of 10 minutes, I went from
> 800x600 with noise to 1600x1200 and gorgeous.
>
> I was delighted to see that they support many varieties of Linux, that
> they provide a single driver file to fit nearly all their cards, that
> the "nvidia-installer" can update itself to a newer version, and that
> even though I can't manage it with RPM it makes things very easy for me.
> I've always used the graphics card maker's own drivers on Windows too
> (Matrox, ATI, others) so this is no different.
>
> Their two primary arguments are that this installer is the only way they
> can support lots and lots of Linux distros, kernel versions, etc., and
> that the extremely competitive nature of their business makes it
> unhealthy for them to open-source their code. I am willing to buy those
> arguments as being reasonable; so while I would *prefer* open-source and
> RPM, I can *accept* closed-source and custom installer.
>
> After all, the end result is more hardware that can be used optimally
> under Linux, easier adoption of Linux by more people, and an easier
> computing experience for me. Conclusion? Two thumbs up!
Ok, so far so good. Now the following scenario:
You need an option in the kernel for which you have to rebuild it. Hence you do
so follow the recipy in /usr/src/linux/README.
Reboot and.... NO DISPLAY Now you are in text mode (you think) and try to
install the nvidia dirver. That fails because that says you are in X11 mode.
Hence `init 3` and you are realy in text mode. Next problem says nvidia: bad
source....
... an that's the stage I'm in at this verry moment.
Other system, running SuSE and connected to the internet with a modem: nvidia
will not install unles the kernel is patched. THis patching of the kernel and
kernel source only takes a couple of hours to download, just to show me it does
not work because the kernel is updated after the nvidia drivers...
My opinion:
For core drivers like for keyboard, display, mouse, disk, I'd say to open the
specs of the software interface and let the community build and maintain the
drivers.
For non-core drivers I might accept the nvidia way only for hardware I don't
use. And that is reversable if it is known in advance.
CBee
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- Previous message: Bob Jones: "Re: L440GX+ board"
- In reply to: Rodolfo J. Paiz: "Opinion: NVIDIA drivers are a Good Thing [tm]"
- Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ]
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