Linus Torvalds Calls NVIDIA The Worst Company Ever

[TobiSGD]

They have patents for their IP, what is the problem???

They are not talking about their IP, they are talking about licensed third party IP.

[deanjo]

They have patents for their IP, what is the problem???

For their IP yes, for the IP that they license they do not.

[uid313]

This is what I like about the Linux community.

Bill Gates, Steve Jobs or any other CEO would never say anything like this.
But Linus Torvalds can publicly point his finger and say FUCK YOU!

Linus, Eric S. Raymond, Theo de Raadt, etc says whatever they want to say.

[drag]

Nvidia sucks pure and simple.

If you think that Linus is talking about Nvidia's graphics drivers, think again.

Nvidia has tried on multiple occasions to create new Linux platforms that are completely closed source at the hardware software interface level.

Not the whole world revolves around your stupid Windows XP graphic drivers that you are shoveling into the Linux kernel.

[uid313]

If you think that Linus is talking about Nvidia's graphics drivers, think again.

Then what is he talking about?

nForce? Tegra? Tesla? CUDA? SLI? PhysX? Gelato? Cg? VDPAU? Project Denver?

[RealNC]

Such a shining example of professionalism.

Professionalism only applies to professionals. Linus speaks as an individual kernel developer.

[89c51]

Then what is he talking about?

nForce? Tegra? Tesla? CUDA? SLI? PhysX? Gelato? Cg? VDPAU? Project Denver?

About them not willing to cooperate with the kernel devs.

[drag]

Then what is he talking about?

nForce? Tegra? Tesla? CUDA? SLI? PhysX? Gelato? Cg? VDPAU? Project Denver?

Everything. Every time Nvidia does anything with Linux they are huge dicks.

Everything from their SATA devices, NIC device, graphic devices, ARM systems... they try to pull the same bogative crap that they pull every time they introduce new products. Sometimes like with the nvnet versus forcedeth they will drop the closed source driver after the reverse engineered one opens up, but that's only after people spent lots of time and effort.

[drag]

Professionalism only applies to professionals. Linus speaks as an individual kernel developer.

As a professional sometimes it's necessary to point out the obvious because non-professionals often don't seem to want to understand.

[smitty3268]

The keys are the drivers, and they are given to you. Also, you know in advance that you will not get specs.

Car companies also do not disclose the proprietary technologies they develop for their cars. The car you drive has closed, proprietary tech in it. You still drive it, don't you? Your own argument works against you, because you have a very wrong idea about what your rights are. You have the right to *request* specs, but they have the right to deny that request.

Also, don't forget that unlike car manufacturers, NVidia does not actively hinder other people from manufacturing custom keys (Nouveau).

In the US, at least, there are laws that the car manufacturers have to allow 3rd party mechanics the ability to work on their cars. They can't force consumers to get work done only in their own shops (by restricting info on how they work).