[Mageia-discuss] Nice review!

Sat Jun 11 14:41:48 CEST 2011

+
+On 06/11/2011 06:44 AM, Thomas Backlund wrote:
+
+>>>> The only big problem they mention is the lack of decent video
+>>>> drivers for both Ati and Nvidia in the DVD. Will Mageia ever have
+>>>> those in the DVD or will it keep the "free" kind of version that
+>>>> Mandriva has?
+>>>>
+>>>> If it was for me, I would include them but I don't know about the
+>>>> original reasons of why they are not.
+>>
+>> In my mind, misplaced ideology. The arguments were that non-free
+>> drivers should not be on a
+>> nominally "free" dvd. I say nominally because even the kernel contains
+>> technically non-free code.
+>>
+
+>
+>> Let's make the focus "working out of the box".
+>> If that means including non-free drivers where a reliable free driver
+>> does not exist, so be it.
+>> After all, these proprietary drivers are to make the user's
+>> proprietary hardware work properly.
+>> And if a reliable free driver exists, of course we wouldn't include
+>> the proprietary driver.
+>>
+>
+> You know we are promoting open source, not closed stuff...
+>
+> And you dont see users on MS side complain when they have to download
+> drivers from vendor site (or install it separately from a vendor
+> provided cd/dvd)
+>
+> What we missed in Ati case is a fallback to non-KMS mode when firmware
+> is missing. So the ati driver do work without nonfree stuff too.
+>
+> And people should also learn to check if hw is properly supported by
+> open source before buying.
+>
+> We also need to educate endusers that not all hw vendors are
+> "os-friendly" so lets support those that are...
+
+If Mageia is to grow it needs to attract the normal user. The one's 
+switching from MS. Many will not know what their video card is or may 
+not even have the technical knowledge to figure out their hardware. They 
+just want it to work. In ML I was asked if I wanted to load a propriety 
+driver. I don't recall that happening here. I had to go find it. On 
+bootup there was a lot of garbage about radeon and open spaces. I am 
+using the radeon HD 4200 card. I have been an ML user since 2002 and 
+have been able to work around problems with forum/mail list support. I 
+have installed it for first time users with no problem. They were happy.
+
+Again, to succeed Mageia must include what is necessary for the average 
+non-technical user. I want to congratulate all those who have worked so 
+hard on getting the first version out.
+
+>
+> Or teach people about _real_ open source...
+
+That's not going to happen for the average non-technical user. In 2002 I 
+had heard about Linux and wanted to try something different. I had no 
+knowledge of system requirements. At that time mandrake was sold in the 
+local electronic store. It worked. And I have support from a local users 
+group.
+
+Gary
+