From: sweh.womble@spuddy.UUCP (Stephen Harris) Subject: Always IN-2000 Announcement! Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1993 19:34:47 GMT
In article <1993Apr9.220107.20357@ucsu.Colorado.EDU> cairnss@ucsu.Colorado.EDU writes:
> >Always should realize that giving out info helps sell there cards, lets
> >not start distribution only binaries now, if it's not available with source
> >it shouldn't be available with linux.
> IF I can get my SCSI HD working with Linux then that is what is
> important, likewise with Diamond VGA, Linux will be no less the
> freeware that it is.
So, we get a bit of binary code that works with (for example) 0.99pl9.3gamma
kernel, and then Linus decides to clean up a section of the kernel to make
it tidier, more flexible, more efficient, whatever. Then the binary only
code distributed by your "favourite" vendor no longer works.
You are either stuck with old kernel images (with the known bugs in that) or
have to lose access to your hardware again, until the vendor can be bothered
to rewrite their code. or maybe they are pushing a new super card, and so
won't bother with upgrading the software for the old model.....
Binary kernel inclusions from vendors may sound like a good idea, but in the
long run could do more to hinder. I'm desperately trying to prevent the
people supplying me with a new computer from "upgrading" the video card to
a Diamond because I know the card they promised works with XFree86 :-)
Stephen Harris
sweh.womble@spuddy.uucp ...!uknet!axion!spuddy!sweh.womble
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