Should Linux Use Proprietary Drivers?

Richard Gray writes "Should Linux accept proprietary video/graphics drivers from likes of Nvidia and ATI ? The GPL written by FSF says that the license prohibits proprietary drivers. From the article: 'To write open-source graphics drivers without help from Nvidia or ATI is tough. Efforts to reverse-engineer open-source equivalents often are months behind and produce only 'rudimentary' drivers, said Michael Larabel, founder of a high-end Linux hardware site Phoronix ... Torvalds has argued that some proprietary modules should be permissible because they're not derived from the Linux kernel, but were originally designed to work with other operating systems.' The FSF however, sharply disagrees. 'If the kernel were pure GPL in its license terms...you couldn't link proprietary video drivers into it, whether dynamically or statically.' Where do you fall on this issue?"

Comments

Re:Who cares? The kernel license has an exemption.

[0x537461746943]

Mod parent up. I agree 100%. Why didn't you register an account so people can actually see your comment?

All hail the church of Common Sense

[everphilski]

Someone give me an AMEN!

... RMS and the FSF be damned.

Re:Come on

[eno2001]

Ahahaha!!! Good use of language! "Penultimate bullet point" as in "The Pen Ultimate Ball Point Pen"!!!! Hahahaha!!! I love it when people use subtle humour like that. Pure comic genius!