Re: [tlug] VIA Open Source Driver Controversy

["Stephen J. Turnbull" <stephen@example.com>]

>>>>> "Jim" == Jim  <jep200404@example.com> writes:

    Jim> Jim Tittsler wrote:

    >> VIA makes Linux drivers available ...

    Jim> Read about the controversy over the openness of them:

What's the big deal?  They're not entirely open, but they're more open
than the next guy, and they're cheap, and most important, they're what
Joe has available to him at the moment.

What bothers me more is an alleged expert on software law being
uncertain whether the NDA quoted in the Newsforge article violates the
GPL, and confusing the issue with the liberality of the NDA.

I have to admit that Verhaegan's "they're 'priced to move', support is
nonexistent, and the hardware is weak; which is easiest to fix?"
argument is pretty compelling.  But failing to understand that
argument is just dumb, not criminal.

-- 
School of Systems and Information Engineering http://turnbull.sk.tsukuba.ac.jp
University of Tsukuba                    Tennodai 1-1-1 Tsukuba 305-8573 JAPAN
               Ask not how you can "do" free software business;
              ask what your business can "do for" free software.