From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Sun Dec 12 02:36:21 2004 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id F2DB516A4CE for ; Sun, 12 Dec 2004 02:36:20 +0000 (GMT) Received: from cromagnon.cullmail.com (cromagnon.cullmail.com [67.33.58.202]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 542C443D45 for ; Sun, 12 Dec 2004 02:36:20 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from jamoore@cromagnon.cullmail.com) Received: from cromagnon.cullmail.com (localhost.cullmail.com [127.0.0.1]) iBC2XExY019515; Sat, 11 Dec 2004 20:33:14 -0600 (CST) (envelope-from jamoore@cromagnon.cullmail.com) Received: from localhost (localhost [[UNIX: localhost]]) by cromagnon.cullmail.com (8.12.10/8.12.10/Submit) id iBC2X9CB019514; Sat, 11 Dec 2004 20:33:09 -0600 (CST) (envelope-from jamoore) From: Jay Moore To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Date: Sat, 11 Dec 2004 20:33:08 -0600 User-Agent: KMail/1.6.1 References: <41B2A52F.90609@ec.rr.com> In-Reply-To: <41B2A52F.90609@ec.rr.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Disposition: inline Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Message-Id: <200412112033.08817.jaymo@cromagnon.cullmail.com> cc: jason Subject: Re: open source video card hardware! X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list Reply-To: jaymo@cromagnon.cullmail.com List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sun, 12 Dec 2004 02:36:21 -0000 On Sunday 05 December 2004 12:05 am, jason wrote: > Has anyone else heard of these great idea? If you are intrested sign > the petition so the company backing it, Tech Source, will fund it. > Please check this link with plenty of info about. > > http://lists.duskglow.com/mailman/listinfo/open-graphics > It does sound like a good idea, but I wonder if it's realistic over the long run. Why? Well, once upon a time all of the chip vendors published specifications for their parts, and made them available to "the public". Now, it seems that there are many components that are available only to "selected parties", and then only if you'll sign an NDA. This is not a conspiracy (unless capitalism is a conspiracy), it simply reflects the desire to protect the I.P. developed through investments. We've already seen this in the wifi marketplace... there are open-source drivers for the older technology, but there are none for the latest technology hardware. Thus, you're forced to choose: latest technology or open source. Jay