Re: Why is Nvidia given GPL'd code to use in closed source

[Mike Galbraith]

At 08:06 PM 1/2/2003 -0800, Larry McVoy wrote:
>On Thu, Jan 02, 2003 at 10:32:30PM -0500, Richard Stallman wrote:
> > But we could make do with even less cooperation than that.  If they
> > just provide the necessary specs to a person who wants to extend the
> > free drivers that exist, that would be sufficient.
>
>Yeah, if only the company that has invested millions in trying to scratch
>out a place to stand, if only they would give us their intellectual
>property for free, if only, why then we could steal that IP and give it
>to other people.  And it would take us less time to do it if they would
>only cooperate.  Why won't they cooperate?
>
>How dare they not give of the fruits of their labors for free.

<yank>
You're just saying that to justify your evil BK license ;-)
</yank> (hey, somebody was _gonna_ do it)

Seriously though, just what is it that graphic CPU makers are 
protecting?  I can't imagine "how to program our spiffy CPU'" docs exposing 
anything important to their competition.  Imagine Intel or AMD trying that 
tactic for _their_ next CPU.  What makes graphics CPUs so special?

         -Mike