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Linux 6.6 To Better Protect Against The Illicit Behavior Of NVIDIA's Proprietary Driver (www.phoronix.com)
submitted 3 years ago by to c/linux@lemmy.ml
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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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[–] 8 points 3 years ago (1 child)

Well, gaming as a whole is likely just a blip to Nvidia nowadays. It doesn't make them money anymore like it used to, data center is where most of the money flows in. It's just that we'll buy anything Nvidia sells so we're basically guinea pigs for their public beta testing.

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  • [–] -2 points 3 years ago (3 children)

    It's honestly amazing to me that some Linux gamers don't understand how lucky we are and can act so... entitled I guess is the word? We live in a golden age of gaming on Linux but that age is entirely dependent on the whims of several companies. Nvidia can discontinue their free Linux driver at any time with almost zero impact to them but extremely heavy disruption to the Linux desktop, which is 80% Nvidia. Microsoft can decide to force all game developers to develop for their new API going forward and sub-sum PC gaming into their console operation, relegating Linux forever to retro boxes. Valve can turn to the dark side and sell out to any of the vultures circling it.

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  • [–] 5 points 3 years ago

    How in the hell is being a customer mistaken for entitled?

    "Corps can fuck you over" - but they always do, and always will.

    Fortunately they also 'suck' at development, since even Xbox is nowadays using same CPU architecture as desktops, so good luck locking that in. And it's not even like we don't emulate every other architecture that's popular enough.

    Also dunno why you left out AMD, they are doing a much better things for Linux than Nvidia.

    Valve is the main one, and god knows what will happen once Gaben quits, though Valve always hated MS and tried to remove their dependency of then for years for their own benefit. But let's not pretend Nvidia or Microsoft can just decide to remove Linux gaming at whim, as that's just not true.

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  • [–] 1 point 3 years ago

    Yeah as if Nvidia never benefited a lot from open-source. So Vulkan isn't open-source, who knows? Maybe go back to the days of fragmentation, kill portability.

    You're acting as if Nvidia, Microsoft, and Valve are related. Good luck to Microsoft making a new proprietary API besides DirectX, an already proprietary API. It would only show they haven't learned anything from UWP. And Valve has always contributed to open-source because they don't want to depend on Windows. You don't recognize Steam Deck and SteamOS 3? You haven't been here long enough to recognize LunarG.

    If Nvidia decides to be hostile or selfish, nobody cares? Can't we be wary of being exploited by companies?

    Just say when you're shilling, don't spread misinformation with your own made up scenarios.

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