Yes. Once users start depending on proprietary drivers, they have already lost the game. I am reminded of this discussion from Linus.
http://lwn.net/1999/0211/a/lt-binary.html
"Basically, I want people to know that when they use binary-only modules, it's THEIR problem. I want people to know that in their bones, and I want it shouted out from the rooftops. I want people to wake up in a cold sweat every once in a while if they use binary-only modules."
Can that go on the front page? ;)
This strikes right at the heart of exactly why I think open source is the superior development process. With all source available, we have total freedom to refactor and redesign our APIs, and drop legacy cruft. We can keep our code cleaner and move forward faster than any closed vendor can even dream of attaining. Just look at Windows. How many crufty, old and broken APIs is Vista still carrying around in it? I don't even want to know. Hey look a handy quote from the "Windows API" WIkipedia page:
"Raymond Chen, a Microsoft developer who works on the Windows API, has said: "I could probably write for months solely about bad things apps do and what we had to do to get them to work again (often in spite of themselves). Which is why I get particularly furious when people accuse Microsoft of maliciously breaking applications during OS upgrades. If any application failed to run on Windows 95, I took it as a personal failure.""
This is the trade off we have chosen. We give up long term API and ABI stability to achieve cleaner, better, more maintainable code. We can do this because we can fix application code ourselves if their own developers refuse to. Microsoft does not have that option. And of course this means we constantly get accused by various asshats who simply Don't Get It that we're "actively breaking things" and "sabotaging everyone" and "refusing to cooperate". It is closed vendors like Nvidia who are refusing to cooperate in our open process. Seriously, go back to Windows. You do not belong here. Yes I'm talking to you, Les. GTFO
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