AMD Contributes 8.5x More Code To The Linux Kernel Than NVIDIA, But Intel Still Leads

[DanL]

For all those trying to save Nvidia by saying that lines of code isn't a good metric...

Lines of code really isn't a good metric. That is not specific to Linux video drivers. As for Nvidia, their focal point is their blob driver and that lives outside the upstream Linux kernel, so why compare their lines of code to AMD or Intel? That's like comparing a foot to a yard as if you didn't already know the outcome.

[clavko]

perpetually high If someone needs to calm down here, it's probably you. You'll need to eat some more porridge before you'd be able to talk to me (or to anyone who's done some serious programming on a pro level) in that tone, slick

bridgman I'm aware that it's mostly headers and that AMD is dedicating plenty of resources towards open source. What I said is that LoC is not a metric, and there's hardly any valid conclusion you could get out of the fact. Hence, the article is waste of time, and a clickbait at best. Nothing more, nothing less

[perpetually high]

perpetually high If someone needs to calm down here, it's probably you. You'll need to eat some more porridge before you'd be able to talk to me (or to anyone who's done some serious programming on a pro level) in that tone, slick

It says more about you to take offense to my comment. No one insulted you, but you're not above criticism either, in general. Just saying. Making comments to this crowd about not using KLOC as a metric is preaching to the choir; we already know this. That's all I was saying.

[illwieckz]

Lines of code really isn't a good metric. That is not specific to Linux video drivers. As for Nvidia, their focal point is their blob driver and that lives outside the upstream Linux kernel, so why compare their lines of code to AMD or Intel? That's like comparing a foot to a yard as if you didn't already know the outcome.

It's not a comparison of written code able to run on the Linux kernel, but a comparison of written code contributed to the Linux source tree. Nvidia is writing code to be runable on Linux but that's not contributing. Their preciously hidden code never counts in the contribution game, no matter the size of what is hidden.

I'm aware that it's mostly headers and that AMD is dedicating plenty of resources towards open source. What I said is that LoC is not a metric, and there's hardly any valid conclusion you could get out of the fact. Hence, the article is waste of time, and a clickbait at best. Nothing more, nothing less

Can you explain why AMD driver code contribution would be 80% header but Nvidia driver code would not be 80% header? Aren't people from both companies writing GPU driver code ? Yeah there is more than GPU driver code in tree but I hope you get the point that if Nvidia were writing open code like AMD does it would produces a fairly similar ratio. We are talking about lines of code for the same purpose, on the same topic and between the same very restrained boundaries, a driver contribution for the same hardware range to the same kernel source tree using the same language and the same coding conventions and code layout. That's precisely the point of a comparison: comparison is only valid between the validity boundaries of the comparison itself, and there the comparison lives within those boundaries.

You can't compare GIMP kloc with Mediawiki kloc with Coreboot kloc with Odoo kloc to tell something, you can compare similar hardware driver kloc in same kernel source tree.

[linner]

You can add all the code in the world but it won't mean anything if it's bad code. And yes, the AMD stuff is crap like it always has been since it was ATI.

As I type this right now FreeCAD, Slic3rPE, Wings3D, and Blender are all flickering and glitching all over on my other monitors (using Radeon 280x on Ubuntu). They can't write OpenGL drivers worth anything! I myself have developed OpenGL apps against AMD cards and what a steaming pile. For anything serious I always revert back to nVidia. The only reason I'm using AMD cards at all is because I have a stack of them left over from the 2013/14-era crypto mining days.

[perpetually high]

Why are we acting like shitty code is just routinely merged in? Code reviews and pull requests are still a thing and people aren't just throwing LOC in there for the hell of it.

[ddriver]

Lines of code is hardly a metric you should be proud of. If anything, with mature codebase, you should be removing lines, rather than adding them.

Oh yeah, that makes perfect sense. You are gonna make new hardware work with the old kernel by removing code from it, and of course, without breaking any existing support.

[perpetually high]

Oh yeah, that makes perfect sense. You are gonna make new hardware work with the old kernel by removing code from it, and of course, without breaking any existing support.

Hey slick, show some respect to the man. Years of experience taught him that. You wouldn't understand.

But yeah, his comment was that retarded.

[ddriver]

But yeah, his comment was that retarded.

I wouldn't say retarded. Just cluelessly wannabeish. He heard somewhere that the best of programmers don't add lines of code but remove such by improving code quality, and figured it must apply to each and every context. And that parroting this stuff around makes him look smart. A sentiment, evidently present in many others like him, judging by the likes that nonsensical post received.

[perpetually high]

Fair enough, retarded was poorly worded since it doesn't speak to his arrogance and holier than thou attitude like anyone here gives a shit. And then has the nerve to compare the biggest project in the world to his work project. I don't mind being rude to people who deserve it.

Michael's comments were related to the Linux kernel, and he prefaced it with number of commits, KLOC, some background, etc etc. He is a developer himself and doesn't need to be told how we gauge quality of code.

This thread went downhill because he set the tone that way. The thread on reddit reads differently.

Let's start respecting people who contribute to the Linux kernel and not try to shit on their contributions by regurgitating a cute stat you heard on KLOC and code quality.