4 ms·
> Why is it that closed source drivers are the norm Closed source is the norm, no matter if it's a hardware company's driver/companion app or a service company
by franga2000 5y ago
> Why is it that closed source drivers are the norm
Closed source is the norm, no matter if it's a hardware company's driver/companion app or a service company's client app. It's rarely economical, but usually "makes business sense" as in there's one more proprietary thing that you own and that increases your apparent value to investors.
Some reasons I've heard:
- opening it would lower the barrier to entry for competitors (as if software is the big barrier)
- it could be licensed to other companies in different industries (that almost never happens)
- closed source is more secure and therefore less risky (a classic fallacy)
- oaiey 5y agosoftware is a gigantic barrier even when you put hardware next to it. maybe not for a highly sophisticated hardware like video cards, but generally, yes.
- franga2000 5y agoHardware: concept, iteration on paper, CAD, source parts for prototype, build prototype, write firmware, iterate prototype, CAD, source parts for product, find a manufacturer for custom parts, final assembly, certification, packaging, logistics, shipping. Software: hire 2 junior programmers, give them the hardware and protocol specs, wait 2 months, upload the executable to a website. The vast majority of "software for hardware" these days is just a GUI sending commands to the firmware over whatever communication channel is available. GPU drivers are pretty much the single example of very complex "software for hardware" in the mainstream market.