NVIDIA Engineers On The Realities Of Linux Drivers

linuxquestions writes "LinuxQuestions.org recently interviewed members of the NVIDIA Linux team. The interview covers the internal use of Linux at NVIDIA, the current demand NVIDIA is seeing for Linux drivers, the biggest perceived obstacle in Linux becoming a mainstream gaming platform and the decision to maintain both an Open Source and closed source Linux driver."

Comments

Unified Driver Infrastructure

[crow]

Much of the interview is the standard optimistic corporate smiley-face stuff you would expect. What I found interesting is the reference to a unified driver infrastructure. Apparently the bulk of their driver code is identical across platforms, so mostly what they need to maintain for Linux is a compatibility layer.

This is what they cite in not open sourcing the driver--too much of the unified code is licensed by them from third parties. (Now why don't they ask their sources about a dual GPL/proprietary license?)

The followup question that this raises is: Given that the base driver code is the same across platforms, are there any particular aspects of X or Linux that reduce performance?

Re:Unified Driver Infrastructure

[Stevyn]

"Now why don't they ask their sources about a dual GPL/proprietary license?"

You think this never crossed their mind?

Re:Unified Driver Infrastructure

[4of12]

are there any particular aspects of X or Linux that reduce performance?

Probably more so for X11, given its age.

I'd be interested in having Someone That Really Knows tell me

"Given the current trends in GPU speed, memory, system bus increases, 3D, scalable graphics and fonts, a clean sheet of paper, would it be possible to create a high-performance graphics subsystem that would last as long as X11 has?"

"Could X11 be layered over the of the Y.NOT graphics system to speed its adoption?"

You'll get the same idiot reply out of all of them

[leonbrooks]

They'll claim that their competitors will get a leg-up from it. My answer?

"Said competitors have the labs, people and equipment to do stuff like electron microscopy if they feel the urge, and probably know more about how your product actually works than you do. Competitors can't steal ideas that are patented anyway. Not that unstable drivers are such a patentable idea. Your suppliers would probably be delighted if a competitor started licencing their technology, so they also have positive motivation to publish, which conflicts with yours. The only people you're really hurting are your customers, and consequently your own sales."

They'll ignore that too, but the first one to go truly open (XGI did that, but only with their 2D stuff, ATI did too but only with limited amounts of their older stuff) will see people doing useful tricks and performance enhancements with their cards that they didn't think was possible. Once that becomes common knowledge, the people with the wallets will follow too. By that time, the damage will be done and the other manufacturers will be chasing tail-lights.