Very Computer

by **Mark Vojkovi** » Sun, 28 Jul 1996 04:00:00

>> Why should they waste their time writing an XServer just to give
>>it away.

>Matrox is a hardware company. If the cost of building the software is
>less than the amount of extra revenue they would bring in by having this
>software, it's a winning proposition for them.

I really doubt that they could ever recover the cost of writing an
entire XServer from scratch even if they WERE charging for it.

Quote:
>'course, it would be easier for them to just publicise the interface and
>let someone else write the server, but I suppose that reverse-engineering
>is their approved way of letting this information out.

They essentially have done that, they just didn't publicize the
interface. They let Metrolink and Xinside write servers for it.
It seems quite unresonable to expect them (or any company) to give
anything away for free. Charity isn't their business.
And a note about reverse-engineering: writing a server is
difficult enough when you have the manufacturer's specs. Without
them, it is nearly impossible. The m*of this story is: If
you want to run XFree, don't by a Matrox card. This is not likely
to change anytime in the foreseeable future.

MARk.

by Or » Sun, 28 Jul 1996 04:00:00

>>'course, it would be easier for them to just publicise the interface and
>>let someone else write the server, but I suppose that reverse-engineering
>>is their approved way of letting this information out.

> They essentially have done that, they just didn't publicize the
>interface. They let Metrolink and Xinside write servers for it.
>It seems quite unresonable to expect them (or any company) to give
>anything away for free.

Well, last time I checked none of the graphics card manufacturers were
in the habit of giving away hardware, and this includes the people who
don't think that public disclosure of the programming interface will
immediately cause their company to crumble.

I think you've got the whole idea wrong; you're talking as if Matrox is
a software company, which, if their advertising is any indication, is
about as wrong as you can get.

____

\/

by **Bryan SEIGNEU** » Mon, 29 Jul 1996 04:00:00

> >>'course, it would be easier for them to just publicise the interface and
> >>let someone else write the server, but I suppose that reverse-engineering
> >>is their approved way of letting this information out.

> > They essentially have done that, they just didn't publicize the
> >interface. They let Metrolink and Xinside write servers for it.
> >It seems quite unresonable to expect them (or any company) to give
> >anything away for free.

> Well, last time I checked none of the graphics card manufacturers were
> in the habit of giving away hardware, and this includes the people who
> don't think that public disclosure of the programming interface will
> immediately cause their company to crumble.

> I think you've got the whole idea wrong; you're talking as if Matrox is
> a software company, which, if their advertising is any indication, is
> about as wrong as you can get.

> ____

> \/

No crap. More people need to realize that in the whole history of
civilization up till now hoarding of information has happened, but
never been looked upon as a Good Thing. Trade secrets and such are
EXCEPTIONS, no one really has an inherent right to information
or even their own privacy. O shit, I'm a virtual (*) socialist.
Think about it, real socialism has BIG problems, but virtual
socialism is natural; Megacorps, running screaming from the net!
You can't live with it, you can't live without it.

Very Computer

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