VMware Merges "vmwgfx_branch" To Master

[phoronix]

Phoronix: VMware Merges "vmwgfx_branch" To Master

Here's a heck of a Christmas present if you happen to be a VMware customer and use their virtualization software with Linux guests where the desktop experience is important: vmwgfx_branch has finally been merged to master! This merge touches over 16,000 lines of code in their X.Org graphics driver...

http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=MTAzMTU

[ChrisXY]

vmware is certainly interesting: On the one side very closed source and their no benchmarks publishing policy doesn't make me want to use their software, but on the other hand this cool open source effort...

So I'd like to know: Any chance that qemu/kvm will support this? I mean, good graphics support is basically the only thing lacking there...

[allquixotic]

vmware is certainly interesting: On the one side very closed source and their no benchmarks publishing policy doesn't make me want to use their software, but on the other hand this cool open source effort...

So I'd like to know: Any chance that qemu/kvm will support this? I mean, good graphics support is basically the only thing lacking there...

qemu-kvm already supports the kernel mode-setting part of vmwgfx, but it doesn't yet support its acceleration architecture.

The binary interface between the hypervisor and the guest fake GPU is publicly documented, and now that all this is hitting stable status, don't expect the APIs/ABIs to change with much frequency. VMware is the type of company that can stick to a version of an API for several years, and when they do break compat, they do so gracefully with a nice fallback path.

In theory it should be possible for any hypervisor-based VM to implement hypervisor changes and other host-side bits so that a vmwgfx stack running in the guest can get 3d accel. There's no reason why qemu-kvm can't support it. Now whether they actually will or not is another question.

[RealNC]

vmware is certainly interesting: On the one side very closed source and their no benchmarks publishing policy doesn't make me want to use their software

A benchmark result is not copyrightable, so that requirement can be safely ignored. If they complain, you tell them to go **** themselves. If they reply, you tell them that they are not allowed to use any of the letters you used in your first email, and until they comply you will not be taking their mails into account. Make sure to use all the letters in the alphabet in your first email.

[allquixotic]

A benchmark result is not copyrightable, so that requirement can be safely ignored. If they complain, you tell them to go **** themselves. If they reply, you tell them that they are not allowed to use any of the letters you used in your first email. Make sure to use all the letters in the alphabet.

That said, if you specifically agree to an End User License Agreement with them in order to use their software, then they can limit you however they want, up to the limits of what's enforceable under contract law in your jurisdiction. So if you live in a jurisdiction where contract law allows the contract to say pretty much anything, then you're really in trouble if you contravene it. It's probably a bit more complicated than that, but IANAL. Just saying: just because an activity isn't a copyright violation, doesn't mean that it can't be illegal.

And AFAIK, it is not possible to boot up any technology based on a VMware Hypervisor without either (a) violating copyright and distributing unauthorized copies, or (b) explicitly accepting a EULA from them (which authorizes you to a copyright license to use the software, but only under their terms).

[RealNC]

That said, if you specifically agree to an End User License Agreement with them in order to use their software, then they can limit you however they want, up to the limits of what's enforceable under contract law in your jurisdiction. So if you live in a jurisdiction where contract law allows the contract to say pretty much anything, then you're really in trouble if you contravene it. It's probably a bit more complicated than that, but IANAL. Just saying: just because an activity isn't a copyright violation, doesn't mean that it can't be illegal.

I'd like to see a country that allows a license to limit your civil rights and freedom of speech. Is this another USA thing?

[allquixotic]

I'd like to see a country that allows a license to limit your civil rights and freedom of speech. Is this another USA thing?

An NDA limits your civil rights and freedom of speech; by signing it, you surrender your right to speak freely about the subject matter under the NDA. And people have been tried, and convicted, of violating an NDA, and have served jail time and paid fines.

Talking about the USA, yes, but since quite a few people who use VMware happen to live there, it's kind of relevant.

[RealNC]

An NDA limits your civil rights and freedom of speech; by signing it, you surrender your right to speak freely about the subject matter under the NDA. And people have been tried, and convicted, of violating an NDA, and have served jail time and paid fines.

Talking about the USA, yes, but since quite a few people who use VMware happen to live there, it's kind of relevant.

I did not sign anything. Also, NDAs fall under a different law; that of trade secrets. A bench result is not a trade secret because it does not belong to VMWare. It belongs to whoever ran the benchmark (if it even belongs to anyone at all.)

[allquixotic]

I did not sign anything. Also, NDAs fall under a different law; that of trade secrets. A bench result is not a trade secret because it does not belong to VMWare. It belongs to whoever ran the benchmark (if it even belongs to anyone at all.)

Well, if you think that VMware is attempting to impose restrictions that are unenforceable under the law, then go ahead and publish some benchmarks from VMware. Better yet, do so while being a resident of Sunnyvale, California, USA. I'll make sure that you have access to a computer with the Internet and your favorite Linux distribution from your prison cell.

[RealNC]

Nah, it's probably gonna be Death Row.