[MPlayer-users] Re: recomended components for mplayer (D Richard Felker III)

[Dean S. Messing]

 :: On Thu, Jan 02, 2003 at 06:27:19PM -0800, Dean S. Messing wrote:
 :: > Suggestion: have any of the heavyweights on this list bothered to
 :: > approach Mark on the Xfree list about help with regard to getting
 :: > MPlayer to better work with the closed source Nvidia drivers?
 :: 
 :: Personally I like the fact that nvidia's drivers such technically in
 :: addition to being non-free.     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Sorry I can't quite parse this.  Are you saying you like the fact that
there are some technical difficulties, or that they are technically good
drivers, or what?

 :: It's another reason to convince people not
 :: to buy nvidia. I have no interest in helping get their drivers working
 :: better.

I simply cannot identify with your position.

Fact1:  Some people are using Nvidia cards in their Linux systems.
         Maybe they bought them out of ignorance.  Maybe they were
         bowled over by the "Nvidia Juggernaut".  Maybe (like with me)
         they Nvidia simply solved a problem they nobody had as yet
         solved.

Fact1a: Convincing them to now buy something else is a losing battle.
         Most people can't afford it.  And the number of "Stallamn
         purists" in the Linux world is (thankfully) very small.  (I
         mean no insult by this.  I am thankful for Stallman and you
         because you tend to act as a "cleansing agent".  But too much
         chlorine makes the water undrinkable.).

Fact2: MPlayer doesn't play as well w/ Nvidia as with some other
        cards[, though I have not yet seen the adverse effects some
        have reported.  But then I have not exercised MPLayer all that
        much (yet)].

Fact3: If it did, then many, many more Linux users (who generally
        support Free Software) could use MPLayer, show it off to their
        friends and colleagues and make Linux look good vis-a-vis M$.

Fact4: The number of people who would go out and buy an Nvidia card
        _because it works well with MPlayer_ is Statistically
        Insignificant so (as though it matters) Nvidia would not
        really be "helped" in the least.

Fact5:  But having MPlayer not play well with Nvidia actually hurts
        the cause of Free Software:

            "Hey, that's some kewl video software you've got
             on that Linux box of yours."

            "Yeah, it's a wonderful piece of software done by some
             wizards in Europe.  Open Source. Fast bug fixes. General.
             Helpful mail list. I can play DVDs w/o worring about
             all the CSS crap. I love it.

            "Hmm, maybe I'll have to bring up Linux on
             this Windows box of mine and try it".

            "Great, I'll help you.  What kind of video card are ya
             run'in?"

            "Nvidia".

            "Oh.  Well that might be problem.  You see, MPLayer doesn't
             do so well on the Nvidia card."

            "That's odd. The Windows Media Player doesn't seem to have
             any problems."  Oh well.  Maybe some other time ...?

            (Opportunity Lost).

 :: > What I know is that this rabid hatred of Nvidia is simply
 :: > counter-productive.  Unlike M$ (where such hatred is probably
 :: > well-placed :-) they don't seem to me to be out to destroy free
 :: > software.  They have simply chosen a business model which closes their
 :: > source, just like 90% of all commercial companies.  I don't like it,
 :: > but I also am not adversarial to them because they (Mark) has not
 :: > been adversarial to me.
 :: 
 :: I don't dislike MS because they're MS. I dislike them because they
 :: make and push proprietary software on people. Nvidia does the same and
 :: I dislike them just the same.

I also don't dislike MS because they're MS (whatever that means -:).
I dislike them (`hate' is a more accurate term for my emotions)
because they are a Predatory Monopoly and found to be so in
U.S. Federal Court.  Because they have actively helped subvert the
cause of Free Software by publicly lying through their teeth,
misconstruing facts, issuing phony "White Papers" on the poisonous
nature of Free Software, and generally behaving like Herr Doktor Josef
Goebbels' Ministry of Propaganda.  Because they pass their third rate
"software" off as the most technically advanced stuff in the world,
when every honest programmer and MIS person knows otherwise.  Because,
... well you get the picture.

As far as I have seen, Nvidia has engaged in none of these practices.
(I'm open for correction if you should care to set me straight.)  They
make a techically good chip (I believe, but am in no position to say
it with authority), market fairly, and actively help the Linux
Community (and themselves of course---who doesn't) by providing
drivers which work with linux---as well as on-line help from the
driver author.

And I find it rather ironic (given your attitude) that the very people
who _should_ be angry with Nvidia aren't.  The Xfree wizards over
on the Xfree list get along with Mark V. very well.  He is accepted
as a Wizard himself, and regularly factors the closed source goodies
into the open source drivers as Nvidia Corp. allows him to.  He 
also (as I understand) is the Principle Architect for Xfree Xinerama
which I use heavily.

 :: 
 :: Rich

Dean