Re: HARDWARE: Open-Source-Friendly Graphics Cards -- Viable?

[Jon Smirl]

On Tue, 26 Oct 2004 12:36:52 +1000, Dave Airlie <airlied@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> ATI and Nvidia not open-sourcing 3D stuff for one simple reason, IP
> issues. It is also why Intel are not even giving out their later
> chipsets docs to anyone by Tungsten, if anyone tells you differently
> send them to me :-)

After talking to representatives of both companies, it seems that the
patent system has completely perverted the IP situation between them.
But are staying secret because of fear of being sued by the other for
infringement. This is exactly the opposite of what full disclosure of
patents was supposed to achieve.

I wish they could just get together and agree not to sue each other
over stupid things like register designs and programming models. The
designs are horrible on both cards due to accumulation of historical
cruft. Save the lawsuits for the core of the engines if you really
have to sue each other.

-- 
Jon Smirl
jonsmirl@xxxxxxxxx
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