GNU/Linux World Domination for the Wrong Reasons (Datamation)

It hurts indirectly.

If running 3D-applications has importance to you, and you can't do that using Nvidia and free
drivers, you're sligthly more likely to -not- buy Nvidia graphics-cards the next time around.

If the lack of free drivers impact sales negatively for Nvidia, or conversely; if the
availability of free drivers impact sales positively for their more open competitors, this
provides market-pressure in the direction of more free drivers.

If you use the proprietary driver, you're also less likely to contribute to the free driver in
ways other than coding; say by testing it, by contributing bug-reports or similar. If the
proprietary solution works well enough for your daily needs, you're less likely to spend time
and energy on alternatives.