[Open-graphics] AMD considering open-sourcing ATi drivers

[howard parkin]

There are more than 12500 patents issued in the in the US alone
that contain the term "computer graphics".

After the recent Intel 965 open sourcing announcement,
I'm guessing anybody who owns one of these patents is sifting
through the Intel source code eagerely looking for infringements.
It would be a bold move bordering on reckless if AMD
released ATI's stuff.




On 8/10/06, Hamish Marson <hamish at travellingkiwi.com> wrote:
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> Timothy Miller wrote:
> > On 8/10/06, Lourens Veen <lourens at rainbowdesert.net> wrote:
> >> On Thursday 10 August 2006 08:33, Peter TB Brett wrote:
> >>> Hi folks,
> >>>
> >>> Looks like the brown stuff might be hitting the rotating
> >>> ventilation
> >> device:
> >>>> Lastly, and remember you heard it here, AMD is strongly
> >> considering
> >>>> open-sourcing at least a functional subset of ATI's graphics
> >>>> drivers. It's time for X Window System, OpenGL, and client
> >>>> virtualization for which ATI binary drivers aren't available
> >>>> to escape the ghetto of the 1980s-era framebuffer. And what a
> >>>> boon
> >> for
> >>>> PR. If AMD's graphics cards were the only ones with open
> >>>> device drivers, it might affect a buying decision or two.
> >>>
> >>> http://www.infoworld.com/article/06/08/02/32OPcurve_1.html
> >>
> >> There are still a lot of potential hurdles for them to take, with
> >>  external IP and DMCA and things. I'll believe it when I see it.
> >> And I'm not sure if we're on the radar screen, but leaking such a
> >> rumour to the media seems like something someone would do if
> >> faced with a new competitor that has the potential to do to their
> >> market what free software did to the proprietary software market.
> >> This may just be an attempt to take the wind out of our sails.
> >
> > Yup.  It's all a reaction to Intel.  But do not despair, OGP.  This
> > is only partial support for ATI chips in open source drivers, and
> > nVidia will not quickly follow suit.  Plus, graphics cards aren't
> > the only things that need open source drivers.  Wifi anyone?
>
> Intel Wifi... Everytime... Already completely open source (Discounting
> card firmware which no-one really cares about).
>
> [Well OK. Some care about closed source firmware. But would they if it
> were burned on a PROM? ]
>
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