Nvidia on Wednesday published the R515 driver release of its Linux GPU kernel modules under an open source, dual GPL/MIT license.
The chip biz has made the source code available via the Nvidia Open GPU Kernel Modules repo on GitHub, a move that suggests the need to respond to AMD's long-standing open-source driver initiative.
"This release is a significant step toward improving the experience of using Nvidia GPUs in Linux, for tighter integration with the OS and for developers to debug, integrate, and contribute back," claimed Ram Cherukuri, senior product manager, Shirish Baskaran, senior system software manager, Andy Ritger, Linux OpenGL driver engineer, and Fred Oh, senior product marketing manager, in a blog post. "For Linux distribution providers, the open-source modules increase ease of use."
The availability of the GPU kernel module source code should make life easier for Linux distributors like Canonical and SUSE by allowing them to sign and distribute Nvidia GPU drivers and package their code with less effort, the four Nvidians suggest. And those developing customized Linux kernels should find driver integration more pleasant.
The free and open-source software community is none too keen on closed-source, proprietary code. Back in 2006, for example, OpenBSD lead developer Theo de Raadt criticized blobs – "vendor-compiled binary drivers without any source code" because "they hide bugs and workarounds for bugs." And Linux supremo Linus Torvalds has similarly voiced his disdain for binary-only modules.
Proprietary drivers have also concealed
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