Please Add Nvidia install info to FAQ [WAS Re: FC1&NVIDIAaccelerated drivers.]

[Michael E. Adams]

> Michael E. Adams  said:
> > Two cents more:
> >
> > The nvidia driver installation became a problem when the compiler
> used
> > to build the kernel was no longer the default compiler. The nvidia
> > installation scripts compares the version of the default compiler on
> the
> > system to the version used to build the kernel. They are not the
> same
> > version on Fedora. They were on Redhat.
> [snip]
> 
> This is not the first time, and probably won't be the last time that
> the
> kernel has to be compiled with a different version of gcc.
> 
> Fedora Core 1's release notes specifically say:
> "gcc32  Version 3.2.3 of GCC (used for building the kernel)"
> 
> Looking at the archives, the gcc version is only the beginning of
> Nvidia's
> issues.  Their installer also tries to delete some GL libraries.  If
> Nvidia were still shipping an RPM, they could have just obsoleted the
> RPM,
> but no, they decide to just delete files.  And with the newer version
> of
> XFree86 they don't get them all, so people complain about that.  Or
> when
> you upgrade the packages the files get replaced...
> 
> Etc., etc., etc.  I don't think people are being educated what it
> means to
> use close sourced drivers when they go to Nvidia's web site and I
> think
> that is Nvidia's issue.
> 
> --
> William Hooper

Let me assure you that I had no intension of assigning fault to anyone
by my "Two cents more" input. Nothing to be gained in that line of
thinking. I am simply trying to list contributing factors to the current
situation. I have no problem with the kernel being built from different
than the default system compiler. I understand how that can be
necessary.

I believe companies like Nvidia and Linuxant are providing extremely
valuable and necessary contributions to Linux. Their packages aren't
perfect or "ideal" for everyone's purposes just like not all open source
packages are. Nothing to be gained in pursuing the negative side of that
line of thinking, either. Running accelerated 3d in a computer that has
nvidia hardware is a good thing just like running 802.11g wireless
hardware using windows drivers via Linuxant's driver loader software is.
I want to use the hardware I have, now, any way I can under Linux.
That's it! So, accessibility to information is the key.

Respectfully,
mea