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Re: [LUG] AMD releases specs

 

On Thu, Sep 13, 2007 at 09:35:15AM +0100, Tom Potts wrote:
> On Thursday 13 September 2007 09:14, Rob Beard wrote:
> > Ben Goodger wrote:
> > > http://www.x.org/docs/AMD/
> > >
> > > I am never going to buy NVIDIA again.
> > > Well, not until they release their specs also...
> I belive Novell are working with them on some drivers - they may not release 
> the specs but I would imagine the drivers will be GPLed.
> I find it strange that they wont release the specs - once you've released a 
> driver you've effectively given away the spec if in a slightly encrypted 
> form. For those that will be termed the competition they'll have the 
> technology to find the specs in a day or so of running a board on a test rig 
> so I cant see the point myself.

It depends how well the driver is written - it could be anywhere from
"slightly encrypted" to "complete and utter gibberish". Having the spec
available would make life a lot easier for any free software developers
working on the driver.

> You get Novell to sign an NDA and work with them on GLPed drivers without 
> releasing the spec and you will probably get a couple of months of ripping 
> people off before someone works out how to get the cheap version to work 

I thought that if something was written under an NDA it couldn't be GPL,
because releasing something under a free licence is, basically,
disclosure? Or am I missing something?

-- 
Benjamin A'Lee <bma@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
http://subvert.org.uk/~bma/
Behind every great man is a very surprised woman.

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