4 ms·

Aren't most Linux drivers closed source binary blobs?

cowtools 4y ago
The nvidia drivers sure are. I don't know about most drivers though. As for wifi, I own this ath9k card which I'm told is completely free, but I also own this intel 3160 chip that apparently requires some firmware to be loaded. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_open-source_wireless_drivers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_open-source_wire...
- GekkePrutser 4y ago
  Funny, a decade ago the story was "atheros is evil" and Intel was the Linux darling. How things change..
minimaul 4y ago
No? The vast majority of hardware has OSS drivers (and they're usually even the better choice!) - the big exception here for average machines is NVIDIA.
- anthk 4y ago
  AMD cards depend on non-free firmware.
  - tremon 4y ago
    And both Intel and AMD processors use non-free microcode. Firmware and drivers are distinct units, as only one of them runs on the CPU.
    - anthk 4y ago
      Not on libre distros. I mean, not more than loading the burned one.
salawat 4y ago
No. You're thinking firmware. The driver layer (code around firmware that initializes the hardware and marshals/unmarshals comms to/from the device).tends to be GPL lest it taint the kernel. The firmware on the other hand, is the last unconquered vestige of the Open Source landscape. Logic locking, and the prevalence/nature of fabless semiconductor IP tends to make that endeavor incredibly difficult.
colechristensen 4y ago
"most" and "drivers" are things that need specific usages to be true, but if you drop them and restate, you're absolutely right. It is really hard to have a complete personal computer on Linux or any other OS that doesn't require closed source / proprietary binary blobs.
- anthk 4y ago
  Not at all, my Intel NUC except for the tiny wireless dongle totally runs with libre drivers.
  - colechristensen 4y ago
    Firmware blob free?
    - anthk 4y ago
      Yep, with Linux libre, I tried it. Now I run OpenBSD, and I could purge /etc/firmware with no issues if I wanted.

The nvidia drivers sure are. I don't know about most drivers though. As for wifi, I own this ath9k card which I'm told is completely free, but I also own this intel 3160 chip that apparently requires some firmware to be loaded. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_open-source_wireless_drivers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_open-source_wire...

GekkePrutser 4y ago
Funny, a decade ago the story was "atheros is evil" and Intel was the Linux darling. How things change..

minimaul 4y ago

No? The vast majority of hardware has OSS drivers (and they're usually even the better choice!) - the big exception here for average machines is NVIDIA.

anthk 4y ago
AMD cards depend on non-free firmware.
- tremon 4y ago
  And both Intel and AMD processors use non-free microcode. Firmware and drivers are distinct units, as only one of them runs on the CPU.
  - anthk 4y ago
    Not on libre distros. I mean, not more than loading the burned one.

salawat 4y ago

No. You're thinking firmware. The driver layer (code around firmware that initializes the hardware and marshals/unmarshals comms to/from the device).tends to be GPL lest it taint the kernel. The firmware on the other hand, is the last unconquered vestige of the Open Source landscape. Logic locking, and the prevalence/nature of fabless semiconductor IP tends to make that endeavor incredibly difficult.

colechristensen 4y ago

"most" and "drivers" are things that need specific usages to be true, but if you drop them and restate, you're absolutely right. It is really hard to have a complete personal computer on Linux or any other OS that doesn't require closed source / proprietary binary blobs.

anthk 4y ago
Not at all, my Intel NUC except for the tiny wireless dongle totally runs with libre drivers.
- colechristensen 4y ago
  Firmware blob free?
  - anthk 4y ago
    Yep, with Linux libre, I tried it. Now I run OpenBSD, and I could purge /etc/firmware with no issues if I wanted.