[Arm-netbook] Mali-400 driver status

[lkcl luke]

2011/12/27 Henrik Nordström <henrik at henriknordstrom.net>:
> tis 2011-12-27 klockan 00:34 +0000 skrev lkcl luke:
>
>> > I know GPU drivers can be a big problem.
>>
>>  yes.  fortunately, most of these qualify as "system libraries" and
>> are thus exempt under the GPL.
>
> Well, depends on who you ask.

 richard stallman.

> Additionally the Linux kernel stance on shim drivers for closed source
> userspace is that such drivers is not acceptable in the Linux kernel,
> not strictly because of GPL but because of maintenance issues needing
> non-free components to test the driver functions.

 yep.  very sensible.

>>  ok... wait... it says to _build_ a functional driver.
>>
>>  however, that's already been done.
>
> But still closed source, and probably without much of the other
> freedoms.
>
> What are the redistribution terms of a binary userspace driver built
> from those sources?

 entirely dependent on the vendor / provider of that software.

 you'd have to read ARM's license for MALI in this case.

 l.

 p.s. please do start pressurising ARM about this.  it's really not acceptable.