From owner-freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Sat Jun 16 19:17:25 2007 Return-Path: X-Original-To: freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Delivered-To: freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [69.147.83.52]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 2731016A400 for ; Sat, 16 Jun 2007 19:17:25 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from wb@freebie.xs4all.nl) Received: from smtp-vbr15.xs4all.nl (smtp-vbr15.xs4all.nl [194.109.24.35]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id B934813C45A for ; Sat, 16 Jun 2007 19:17:24 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from wb@freebie.xs4all.nl) Received: from freebie.xs4all.nl (obsolete.xs4all.nl [82.95.250.254]) by smtp-vbr15.xs4all.nl (8.13.8/8.13.8) with ESMTP id l5GJHFXD084929; Sat, 16 Jun 2007 21:17:23 +0200 (CEST) (envelope-from wb@freebie.xs4all.nl) Received: from freebie.xs4all.nl (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by freebie.xs4all.nl (8.13.8/8.13.3) with ESMTP id l5GJHEXa038529; Sat, 16 Jun 2007 21:17:14 +0200 (CEST) (envelope-from wb@freebie.xs4all.nl) Received: (from wb@localhost) by freebie.xs4all.nl (8.13.8/8.13.6/Submit) id l5GJHE7Y038528; Sat, 16 Jun 2007 21:17:14 +0200 (CEST) (envelope-from wb) Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2007 21:17:14 +0200 From: Wilko Bulte To: Dieter Message-ID: <20070616191714.GA38504@freebie.xs4all.nl> References: <200706161733.RAA14937@sopwith.solgatos.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <200706161733.RAA14937@sopwith.solgatos.com> User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.11 X-Virus-Scanned: by XS4ALL Virus Scanner Cc: freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Fwd: AMD deciding _now_ what to do about Linux X-BeenThere: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: Technical Discussions relating to FreeBSD List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2007 19:17:25 -0000 On Sat, Jun 16, 2007 at 10:33:00AM +0100, Dieter wrote.. > So who, exactly, is the best person to write to requesting > docs for AMD/ATI graphics/video chips? > > We need to politely inform them that > > There are a lot of operating systems out there, > and they all need high quality, fully functional drivers. > FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, Plan-9, Open-Solaris, ... > > We might want to add a ATI graphics/video card to a computer > with a different CPU architecture (Alpha, Sparc, PPC, ...) > > Binary drivers are useless, because: > Too many OSes. > Too many CPU archs. > Can't fix bugs. > Can't fix security holes. > Therefore we need documentation on how to program the chips. > > 2D is not enough. We need video decoding and 3D. > > If we can't have high quality, fully functional source code drivers > for the OS and CPU arch of our choice, then there is no reason to > buy the product. > > Have I left out anything? Well.. yes. "How much revenue ($$) AMD will loose when these open source projects do not get the chip docs". Ultimately the $$ question is what exec level management will ask. -- Wilko Bulte wilko@FreeBSD.org