I like Open Source drivers too, but this is still a Good Thing.
The 3D market is really competitive right now, and NVIDIA is in first place. Every graphics chipset mfg in the world has them in their sights. It would be hard for anyone to make a _rational_ case that releasing source code that will expose their IP is in their best interest at this time. 2D is another matter; everyone has a fast 2D card now days, and there is no harm in releasing 2D specs, contrary to what some chipset mfg's seem to believe.
I know that this doesn't fit into the Free Software concept very well, but there are cases in the Real World where Free Software just doesn't make sense. It's easy to be a idealist, but much more difficult to come up with a compromise that will work for everyone involved.
This is a good move by NVIDIA (if it's true), and I'm looking forward to my new TNT.:-)
The Voodoo 3 has 16-bit external rendering, a 16-bit z-buffer, and 16 MB RAM, while the TNT2 has 32-external rendering, a 24-bit z-buffer, and 32 MB RAM. The TNT is obviously better based on specs, although you shouldn't have much trouble finding an old Amiga evangelist who is willing to try and talk you into the notion that 16-bit is better.:-)
I checked that out yesterday, and they really don't have any drivers on the page, just a couple of links to NVIDIA and 3D-Labs. Since these cards are already supported by XFree86, I hope it's 3D (OpenGL) drivers that they plan to release.
If Red Hat goes public, things might not change for the better.
Good point. I don't think that many investors would see the value of the Open Source development model, and it wouldn't be long before there was a lot of grumbling about "why are we giving all this away?". Linux will obviously remain Open Source, but Red Hat's substantial contributions to the Free Software community could dry up pretty quickly under shareholder pressure.
The New Deal OS is based on GEOS and runs on IBM compatible PCs, even old 286s.
A friend of mine used to run GEOS (Geoworks? I can't remember the name...) on his 286 because it didn't have enough RAM to run Windows 3.1 properly. It was very cool; much nicer appearance and integration than Windows, and it ran fast with 1 MB RAM.
Most of what COL has over RH or Suse now is primarily a matter of the bundling of a commercial re-partitioner.
It's interesting that Red Hat, Caldera, and SuSE are pretty much in sync for the first time -- they all use the 2.2 kernel, glibc 2.1, KDE 1.1, etc. About the only thing that sets them apart are Red Hat's dominant market position, Caldera's Linux Wizard, and SuSE's extensive software bundle.
Caldera has had quite awhile to bridge this gap and it doesn't even appear to have leapfrogged that much.
Yet it might be enough to help them expand their market share several times over.
I see Caldera or Suse as the only alternative. Which of these should I choose?
OpenLinux 2.2, SuSE 6.1, and Red Hat 6.0 are almost identical -- they all use the 2.2.5 kernel (maybe RH will be 2.2.6?), glibc 2.1, KDE 1.1, etc., so they're all pretty much in sync for the first time.
SuSE is nice because it comes with an extensive manual and 5 CDs full of software, but Caldera's new installation stuff sounds cool. I ordered them both just for fun.:-)
Hopefully Red Hat has some cool stuff that they're holding back as a suprise, because at this point it looks like a more expensive version of OpenLinux 2.2 without the slick installation.
According to what I've heard, Caldera replaced that lame 60-page Getting Started guide that came with COL 1.3 with a 212-page manual. Hopefully it will be as good as Red Hat's, which while not perfect, is still very good.
Contrary to this assertation, one reason Microsoft has gotten into corporations favor is that every product they create has a published API.
I haven't written a Windows program for over three years, but last time I did the API documentation sucked. This was with VC++ 1.5, and a lot of the prototypes in the online "help" didn't even match the header files. Some of the stuff is documented, some of it isn't, and some of it's documented, but just plain wrong. The only real way to be an effective Windows programmer is to subscribe to the non-MS windows programming mags and keep up on what's been discovered by other programmers.
Of course things may have improved since 1995, but I doubt it.
The fact that Windows is popular does not make it public domain software, and I see no moral obligation on their part to document or not document any part of it.
Any seller of operating systems software (not just MS) should be required to provide complete and acurate documentation for their APIs. Withholding this information puts such a company in a position to exercise undue control over their customers (and the market), and has in this particular case allowed Bill Gates to become the richest man in the world by selling substandard products.
I'm still shocked that I agree with RMS, normally I respect him as a programer and keep his views seperate.
Yeah, I agree. I usually tend toward Linus-like pragmatism and view RMS as a blue-sky idealist, but of all the proposed remedies that I've read, RMS' make the most sense.
While I agree that Linux needs to be more "stupid-user" friendly, I can also understand why not many people are interested in doing the actual work. I worked in TS in the early 90's, and phone conversations I had still haunt my dreams.
type cd \
It says invalid switch
You typed the forward slash; the backslash is above the enter key"
what?
I said you typed foward slash instead of backslash; the backslash key is just above the enter key.
Corel has a chance, but it's a long shot. A more user friendly Linux distro is a good idea, but Caldera may beat them to the punch -- it depends on how good (or bad) Lizard turns out to be.
Slashdot Mirror
The 3D market is really competitive right now, and NVIDIA is in first place. Every graphics chipset mfg in the world has them in their sights. It would be hard for anyone to make a _rational_ case that releasing source code that will expose their IP is in their best interest at this time. 2D is another matter; everyone has a fast 2D card now days, and there is no harm in releasing 2D specs, contrary to what some chipset mfg's seem to believe.
I know that this doesn't fit into the Free Software concept very well, but there are cases in the Real World where Free Software just doesn't make sense. It's easy to be a idealist, but much more difficult to come up with a compromise that will work for everyone involved.
This is a good move by NVIDIA (if it's true), and I'm looking forward to my new TNT. :-)
TedC
The Voodoo 3 has 16-bit external rendering, a 16-bit z-buffer, and 16 MB RAM, while the TNT2 has 32-external rendering, a 24-bit z-buffer, and 32 MB RAM. The TNT is obviously better based on specs, although you shouldn't have much trouble finding an old Amiga evangelist who is willing to try and talk you into the notion that 16-bit is better. :-)
Check out tomshardware.com for reviews.
TedC
Any chance of getting Q3 to run with other boards under Linux using commercial OpenGL drivers? I'm thinking of the Permedia2 and i740 specifically.
TedC
http://perso.club-internet.fr/flory/
TedC
Porting XFree86 and KDE to Darwin would make a nice project.
TedC
All a lot of people need is a buy recommendation from a broker or publication, and that's primarily based on the performance of the stock.
Most people invest to make money -- ideology has very little to do with it. I'd buy MS stock if I thought it had a future...
TedC
Good point. I don't think that many investors would see the value of the Open Source development model, and it wouldn't be long before there was a lot of grumbling about "why are we giving all this away?". Linux will obviously remain Open Source, but Red Hat's substantial contributions to the Free Software community could dry up pretty quickly under shareholder pressure.
TedC
A friend of mine used to run GEOS (Geoworks? I can't remember the name...) on his 286 because it didn't have enough RAM to run Windows 3.1 properly. It was very cool; much nicer appearance and integration than Windows, and it ran fast with 1 MB RAM.
TedC
OpenLinux isn't based on Red Hat; you're confusing it with an earlier Caldera product, I think.
TedC
It's interesting that Red Hat, Caldera, and SuSE are pretty much in sync for the first time -- they all use the 2.2 kernel, glibc 2.1, KDE 1.1, etc. About the only thing that sets them apart are Red Hat's dominant market position, Caldera's Linux Wizard, and SuSE's extensive software bundle.
Caldera has had quite awhile to bridge this gap and it doesn't even appear to have leapfrogged that much.
Yet it might be enough to help them expand their market share several times over.
TedC
OpenLinux 2.2, SuSE 6.1, and Red Hat 6.0 are almost identical -- they all use the 2.2.5 kernel (maybe RH will be 2.2.6?), glibc 2.1, KDE 1.1, etc., so they're all pretty much in sync for the first time.
SuSE is nice because it comes with an extensive manual and 5 CDs full of software, but Caldera's new installation stuff sounds cool. I ordered them both just for fun. :-)
TedC
Considering that their slogan is "Linux for Business" I'd say that's a safe assumption.
TedC
Installation media, manuals, and support.
Downloading Linux isn't such a good deal unless you have more time than money.
TedC
TedC
"Jimi did drugs, and Jimi's dead; I went hunting, and I'm still Ted!"
TedC
Yep, when you get to be my age, you don't do anything that might result in the loss of brain cells!
I'll stick to Coke, Dew, Dr. Pepper, and Becks and Corona in moderation. :-)
TedC
TedC
AFAIK it will ship the week of April 26th.
TedC
I haven't written a Windows program for over three years, but last time I did the API documentation sucked. This was with VC++ 1.5, and a lot of the prototypes in the online "help" didn't even match the header files. Some of the stuff is documented, some of it isn't, and some of it's documented, but just plain wrong. The only real way to be an effective Windows programmer is to subscribe to the non-MS windows programming mags and keep up on what's been discovered by other programmers.
Of course things may have improved since 1995, but I doubt it.
TedC
Any seller of operating systems software (not just MS) should be required to provide complete and acurate documentation for their APIs. Withholding this information puts such a company in a position to exercise undue control over their customers (and the market), and has in this particular case allowed Bill Gates to become the richest man in the world by selling substandard products.
TedC
Yeah, I agree. I usually tend toward Linus-like pragmatism and view RMS as a blue-sky idealist, but of all the proposed remedies that I've read, RMS' make the most sense.
TedC
type cd \
It says invalid switch
You typed the forward slash; the backslash is above the enter key"
what?
I said you typed foward slash instead of backslash; the backslash key is just above the enter key.
oh
(long pause)
Now it says bad command or file name.
What did you type?
nothing...
TedC