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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Linux 6.6 To Better Protect Against The Illicit Behavior Of NVIDIA's Proprietary Driver (www.phoronix.com)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Luis Chamberlain sent out the modules changes today for the Linux 6.6 merge window. Most notable with the modules update is a change that better builds up the defenses against NVIDIA's proprietary kernel driver from using GPL-only symbols. Or in other words, bits that only true open-source drivers should be utilizing and not proprietary kernel drivers like NVIDIA's default Linux driver in respecting the original kernel code author's intent.

Back in 2020 when the original defense was added, NVIDIA recommended avoiding the Linux 5.9 for the time being. They ended up having a supported driver several weeks later. It will be interesting to see this time how long Linux 6.6+ thwarts their kernel driver.

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Likely a combination of 4 things:

They have third party firmware in their blobs that they are under NDA regarding the source code.
They believe in the source code is a large part of their success and don't want to reveal it.
They believe giving out the source code will allow many inferior variants of the software, impacting their brand.
Control; the more source code they have in mesa the more of their code can be rejected by mesa. Keeping their stuff as blobs allows them to put in whatever hacks they want.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

They can open their code without merging into mesa
They don't want you to use "old" GPUs

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Sure but why open their code without getting the integration benefits?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Getting to use GPL-only symbols
Still much easier for distros
Example of drivers

And again we are talling about code not being rejected as main goal.