Reverse engineering: more than NVIDIA deserves?

I like that people are working on free software Nvidia drivers.. those people are doing some
cool stuff and are bringing in much needed improvements to the whole open source driver stack
that are going to benefit ATI and Intel driver improvements.

I like what they are doing, I appreciate what they have accomplished and what they continue to
do.... So don't get me wrong when I say this:


I'll use Nvidia hardware if I have a need for it. So they'll get my money, and that's all they
care about and I know they couldn't give two craps about my opinion of them. But otherwise I
will avoid them like the plague (and I do.)

Still I tell people that if they need 3D performance in Linux that they should buy Nvidia.
Why? Because that's the truth. And unfortunately Nouveau just isn't going to match the
performance or stability of the Nvidia hardware in any sort of effective timeframe. It's just
very unfortunate. Maybe I am wrong, hopefully I am wrong.

I feel the efforts on creating a open source Nvidia driver is wasted on the end users. So if
the developer's goal is to make open source drivers for people to use on their nvidia
hardware, then that's a total bust from the beginning. They are making a mistake.

Conversely, If their goal is to learn hardware, learn software, and personal satisfaction of
working with very modern hardware (or other things along that line), then that's a entirely
different thing and I wish them all the luck in the world.

The most Nouveau will ever get used for, at this point or any other point in the future (until
the supported hardware is so obsolete that Nvidia cease caring about the people still running
it), is to let Ubuntu boot up with 3D support long enough so that users can click the 'yes'
button to install proprietary drivers. 

Why?

* People who care about open source drivers are going to purchase Intel or AMD hardware. 
(preferably Intel, IMO, since AMD has released no documentation on 3D stuff and has released
no code for it.. while Intel has released full documentation and full source code)

* People who do end up purchasing Nvidia hardware for Linux either do not care about open
source drivers (or don't care about them that much) or require the performance Nvidia offers
for their purposes, and thusly will install the nvidia drivers due over the open source driver
in almost every case. 

By buying Nvidia hardware in the first place they are voting pro-proprietary driver (in the
eyes of the Nvidia corporation) in the strongest manner available to a end user.

* New users to Linux who cluelessly (through no fault of their own) use machines with Nvidia
hardware will simply not have the desire to keep using the inferior performing driver and will
want the same level of performance they are used to in Windows.


That's all. 


I want it to be known that I do not have a problem with them working on it. I don't think it's
going to 'reward' Nvidia in any way.. I don't think that Nvidia gives a crap, and even if they
did I don't. Even if it _totally_ benefits Nvidia, I still ain't going to worry about it. Life
is to short to avoid doing good things because it may benefit somebody you have a problem
with. 


From a purely selfish standpoint I would like them to devote their time to supporting _my_
hardware (Intel GMA stuff), but I can't see how that fact would excite them or motivate them
in any fashion. I mean I would _love_ to have faster graphics and be able to tell people to
purchase AMD or Intel (for better compatibility and stability) without the caveats of low
performance with OSS drivers.

So my vote is for them to drop everything that they are doing and work totally for the best
Intel driver humanly possible in the shortest time frame. ( They should be happy, and probably
are, that my vote has utterly no impact or control over anything they do, nor should it. )