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Topic: Linux

Nvidia responds to Torvalds' F-bomb

Summary: In a nutshell: Nvidia makes it clear that it isn't going to change the way it works.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

By for Hardware 2.0 |

Graphics chip maker Nvidia has responded to Linus Torvalds' F-bomb ladened rant against the company for its lack of support for the Linux platform.

During a Q&A session at the Aalto University in Finland, Torvalds identifies Nvidia as "the single worst company we've ever dealt with" before unexpectedly turning to the camera and delivering an F-bomb complete with the middle finger gesture.

"Supporting Linux is important to NVIDIA," writes a spokesperson, "and we understand that there are people who are as passionate about Linux as an open source platform as we are passionate about delivering an awesome GPU experience".

According to the spokesperson's response, the reason that for the lack of support on Linux for the Optimus notebook technology is that when it was launched there was only support for it on Windows 7. Following that, the open source community got to work on support with the Bumblebee Open Source Project. Nvidia then made changes to the installer and 'readme' files in the R295 drivers to allow them to interact with Bumblebee easier.

"While we understand that some people would prefer us to provide detailed documentation on all of our GPU internals," wrote the Nvidia spokesperson, "or be more active in Linux kernel community development discussions, we have made a decision to support Linux on our GPUs by leveraging NVIDIA common code, rather than the Linux common infrastructure."

"While this may not please everyone, it does allow us to provide the most consistent GPU experience to our customers, regardless of platform or operating system".

In other words, Nvidia isn't going to change the way it works, no matter how many how many times Torvalds flips them off.

Related:

Topics: Linux, Open Source, Operating Systems, Processors, Software

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38 comments
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  • See Linus...

    ...this type of response is what's called "diplomacy".

    You should try it sometime - Who knows, someday people might actually start to think Linux advocates are more than just fanatical geeks.
    daftkey
    Reply 1 Vote

    • In all fairness to Linux

      He was being tongue-in-cheek.

      Linus conveyed his opinion in a humorous way. Nvidia issued a press release containing their opinion.
      Your Non Advocate
      Reply 2 Votes

      • Linus needs to grow up a little

        Just b/c he copied Unix to the PC world does not mean everyone else has to provide the support he feels entitled to.
        LBiege
        Reply Vote

        • Wait What!

          He didn't copy unix, and for the sake of trying to prove a point go do some research. This man gave a "Free kernel" for anyone to make it better. Why would you the other's?


          linus needs to grow up? Please.
          atmancloud
          Reply 2 Votes

      • Fairness != blindness

        To genuinely be fair (i.e., truthful), Linus was not being humorous. He was saying f-u as seriously and as pugnaciously as an over-dainty man is capable of. You're cutting Linus a degree of slack that verges on the delusional.
        Ronbo13
        Reply 1 Vote

    • LOL - {nt}

      ....
      TheBottomLineIsAllThatMatters
      Reply Vote

  • Nvidia responds to Torvalds' F-bomb

    If I were running Nvidia I'd drop all linux support immediately. Then the linux community can blame its leader for the lack of support because he single handedly screwed it up for everyone. Play with fire Mr. Torvalds and you will get burnt. I wonder if there is a chance of getting him deported.
    Loverock Davidson-
    Reply 2 Votes

    • business is not a child play as you think it is

      they would hurt themselves too! between two brands equaly powerful but one which does not support say Linux which most likely makes some problems for you in the future which one do you choose?! I will go with the one that has no problems with other OSs and don't have compatibility issues
      L3thargic
      Reply Vote

    • He's a U.S. citizen

      and a law abiding citizen and helps create jobs. So he's not going to be deported.

      And if Nvidia drops all Linux support they may as well leave the microchip business. Their Android offerings is a major part of their business now. If they cede that to the competition they'll lose all hope of profitability.
      Michael Kelly
      Reply 1 Vote

      • What profitability?

        There are few Tegra chips in products right now, and none of the profitability comes from Linux - it comes from the OEM's that buy the chips to integrate into their designs. The fact that they choose Android as the OS to run on it is coincidental. I would bet NVIDIA is grinding their teeth waiting for Windows RT to launch before they see appreciable sales figures.
        Joe_Raby
        Reply Vote

        • What a fanboy!

          You sound like a big as fanboy (M$ fanboy),
          atmancloud
          Reply 1 Vote

    • A couple facts

      While Linus was born in Finland, he has been a law abiding US Citizen. Why would you wish to remove citizenship from a legal American?

      Also:

      If nVidia chose to remove support for their chips in the Linux kernel completely? They're killing their mobile chances. Did you know that the tegra chip, the ones used in several android devices, is nVidia? Why would they stop making a product that makes them money?
      Michael Alan Goff
      Reply 1 Vote

    • He's a Citizen

      and as such he's entitled to his opinion. Nvidia are being fools. They have a us against them mentality and they have had it since DOS days.
      mileswade
      Reply 1 Vote

    • Unlike You ...

      ... NVidia is not COMPLETELY stupid...
      ldo17
      Reply Vote

    • NVIDIA's intransigence has been costing them millions (as in hundreds of)

      NVIDIA just managed to chase away a Chinese deal for 10+ million GPUs that would have been worth $US 300 to 500 million. (The buyer went to AMD, instead) beacause of NVIDIA's anal-retentive attitudes over free/open and proprietary/closed drivers.

      (apparently ZDNet doesn't like my link -- you'll have to Google it, if you're interested).

      So Linus isn't the only party to get fed up with NVIDIA's behaviour...
      bswiss
      Reply 2 Votes

    • nVidia not support Linux??

      Gimmie a break. Pixar Studios uses Linux. NASA uses Linux. CERN uses Linux. You think that high-grade rendering farms and graphical intensive servers are not nVidia's target markets?? I think they would appreciate nVidia being a little more open than they have been.
      wayward4now
      Reply Vote

  • I don't really know what was the problem

    which caused linus to show m-finger but as a linux User i don't care if driver is open source or not! As long as it works good it is ok by me...
    L3thargic
    Reply Vote

    • You missed the whole point...

      He was talking about Nvidia Optimus - it doesn't have linux support period: not in opensource driver, not in Nvidia proprietary driver.
      The point is - you don't want to support your own feature? Fine - we'll do it for you. You don't want to help us in any way to do it? Still fine, but f-you!
      Totally appropriate i think - especially in college campus setting...
      vgrig
      Reply 3 Votes

      • Thanks for clarification

        i thought it was something else as i know linus wouldn't go into open source vs closed source war! so m-finger to N-Vidia lol
        L3thargic
        Reply 2 Votes

      • Personally, I just won't buy Nvidia's product

        There's a lot more differentiating Linux from OS X and Windows than there is differentiating Nvidia from Intel and ATI/AMD.
        Michael Kelly
        Reply 1 Vote
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