NVIDIA Plotting Open-Source Strategy?

[phoronix]

Phoronix: NVIDIA Plotting Open-Source Strategy?

According to an AIB partner, NVIDIA is planning an open-source counterattack against ATI/AMD. Since this past September, AMD has been increasingly open-source friendly with their Novell partnership to deliver the RadeonHD driver and releasing open specifications...

http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=NjI3NQ

[lakritz]

Oh yes, let's hope this is true. Maybe this would mean that we, in a few years time, would have support for _all_ popular graphics cards under a unified graphics architecture (Gallium3D) in a few years?

If, this is true, GO NVIDIA! =)

-Linux enthusiast

[yoshi314]

let's face the facts - it's a win-win situation. either way we, the customers, win. no matter what we use.

[davFr]

'plotting strategy' is the correct term here. Now that open-source model and ATI is getting some cheers, look at the sharks coming back around...

i hope nouveau team continue there great work and get the 3d driver working without having to thank nVidia for anything. Darktama is already working on Gallium3d integration:

http://nouveau.freedesktop.org/wiki/..._Companion_32t

[davFr]

under a unified graphics architecture (Gallium3D) in a few years?

nouveau team has already started working on 3D gallium integration. Some WIP screenshots here :

http://nouveau.freedesktop.org/wiki/...u_Companion_32

I hope Darktama can have 3D working without owing anything to nVidia new hypocrytical strategy.

[shaidtan]

This would be a major step in the right direction. Consumers get better drivers, nVidia gets free driver developers, and developers get the support they've been wanting for so long.

Plus it would allow distributors like Dell to offer Linux on a wider array of their products. Again win/win/win.

If nothing changes my next laptop will have either Intel or ATI graphics. However if nVidia does this (and does it right) I'll gladly give them my money when the time comes.

-Shaidtan

[DeepDayze]

Now that will be nice if this comes to pass. Its about time that nVidia makes a move on this. If this is done right, then we all win no matter what graphics card we use.

[Thetargos]

They were lagging behind. They must have reckoned something about AMD's strategy, or, as commented several times before by Svartalf, OEMs have simply "requested" that they also had open source support. This would also mean that if nVidia remained closed, OEMs would opt for Intel and AMD, giving AMD an instant lead onto the graphics department and with Spider in the horizon that could spell problems for nVidia in the market place. I know, I know, Linux market share is much smaller than the dominan player, however the trend has been steady in the number of users who switch to Linux, which only means more market. If nVidia was left out of the loop, that would have also meant less customers, less market, regardless the platform.

The upcoming two years will be very interesting indeed!

[yoshi314]

i think they noticed that specs + radeonhd initiative attracts more and more people to ati cards and development, while their hardware is constantly being reverse-engineered by nouveau team - which is something ati managed to postpone.

[starkmjolk]

If it turns out right, it is a clear win for everyone. But I want to see some actual development before putting my money on nvidia again. If the timeframe holds, the next machine will be AMD/ATI.

EDIT: Still this is very good news of course. )