Messages in this thread | | | From | Michal Jaegermann <> | Subject | Re: Linux, UDI and SCO. | Date | Sat, 19 Sep 1998 00:21:17 -0600 (MDT) |
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Erik Andersen <andersen@inconnect.com> writes:
> I say we have everything to gain by supporting this, and little to lose. > We get binary only drivers for unsupported devices, and then when we > get a free driver that is better written, everyone will use it because > of the inherent advantages of a free driver.
Why do you think that you will ever see a free driver? A pat answer will be "You may buy our binary driver which works on your machine so why do you need specs? Our driver is the best possible in any case". And of course non-Intel Linux crowd (Alpha, Sparc, m68k, ARM, MIPS, .... ) will be screwed. You will maybe hear "Ah, those!" or maybe even not that.
It is hard to predict what will happen but I think that the danger is real. Such course of events would drastically change a nature and prospects of Linux. Among other things it would pull it back strongly into Intel-only camp. How strongly depends on how many important drivers you get only in a commercial form. Once it will turn out that a control can be exercised that way you will find this situation more and more often.
Michal
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