61090

神经网络昆斯林的新闻组分类2006

Path: cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!das-news.harvard.edu!noc.near.net!uunet!lhdsy1!jjctc
From: [e-mail] (James C. Tsiao)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: Diamond Products Boycot?
Summary: diamond policies
Keywords: diamond policies
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 23 Apr 93 15:06:42 GMT
References: <[e-mail]>
Organization: Chevron, La Habra, CA.
Lines: 40

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Markfried Fellensiek) writes:
>
>...
>If you're considering buying a system, with a view to using
>it to run Unix (Linux, bsd, etc...) or some other special software,
>there is a good chance that it WILL NOT WORK with the Diamond cards.

That is, if the special software is free, like Xfree86.  There are
vendors that sells Diamond X drivers for commercial Unices.  But
then, they charge $$$$.

>This is due to Diamond's propriety attitude to it's hardware:
>it's impossible to get free information from them about their chips 
>(specifically their dot-clocks) without paying, and signing non-disclosure
>agreements.

I think they only need a signing (i.e. no paying).  This still
violates the FSF's policy of publically available code.

>This made it impossible for the Free Software Foundation to provide
>X-Windows compatibility with these cards, as diamond didn't want to 
>divulge programming neccessities.

While this is true, there are fixes for those who have already
bought Diamond cards.  In Linux, for example, there are utilities
that will put the card in VESA mode before invoking X.  Of course,
this means no fine tuning of Diamond cards, but at least this
will allow those who're stuck with them to use Linux+X.

I agree with Mark's suggestion:  If you are buying a video card
for specialized free software, avoid Diamond.  But if you already
have one, there may be a fix that can help you.

James.

-- 
[e-mail]                    |   The shortest distance between
[e-mail]                    |   two puns is a straight line.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ask me about Linux, the freely distributable Unix clone for the 386/486.