Linux Creator Drops F-Bomb on Nvidia, ''Worst Company''
During a Q&A session at Aalto University in Finland, Linus Torvalds describes Nvidia as being a major trouble spot for Linux, before suddenly turning to the camera with his middle-finger extended and a message for Nvidia: “F*** You!”.
Linus Torvalds expressed his displeasure for Nvidia when a member from the audience asked him how he felt about Nvidia's overall lack of support for Linux-based computers. The lack of driver support makes operating Nvidia Optimus difficult on Linux, and one would like to believe that since Nvidia is such a key player in the Android market (based on the Linux kernel) that they would have no problem cooperating with the Linux community.
“I know exactly what you're talking about and I'm very happy to say that it's the exception rather than the rule. And I'm also very happy to very publicly point out that Nvidia has been one of the worst trouble spots we have had with hardware manufacturers,” said Linus Torvalds, “And that is really sad because Nvidia tries to sell chips - a LOT of chips - into the Android market. And Nvidia has been the single worst company we have ever dealt with. So, Nvidia, fuck you!”
Unfortunately, Nvidia has found a way to make money from the Android Market with Tegra, but that doesn't mean they are obligated to support Linux any more than that. Perhaps giving them the finger will make them reconsider.
Interestingly, the last audience member to speak had recently joined Nvidia and stated that they are working on more Tegra support to please the Linux community, “Even though you gave me the finger, I still thank you!” to which Torvalds responded:
“I actually like being outrageous at times, it's amusing, I guarantee you if you make that video available on the Internet, there will be thousands of people really upset. I like offending people, because I think people who get offended should be offended.”
The entire Aalto Center Q&A video is available here and is worth watching in its entirety:
If you would like to skip to where the F-Bomb was dropped, click here.
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rantoc So he cries that Nvidia doesn't make the same quality drivers for a OS with less than 2% market share compared to windows that enjoy a healthy 90%+ PC market-share. Thought Linus was more down to earth than putting up a finger to a company that have invested much more into Linux compared to what they gained from it.Reply
With a 1:45 ratio, increasing cost to make drivers to Linux due to the increasing fragmentation between the different Distros.
What a shocker nVidia isnt polishing its drivers as much any more, if i were Nvidia it would been time to pull the plug competently after this way of saying thanks for your support!
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gilgamex rantocSo he cries that Nvidia doesn't make the same quality drivers for a OS with less than 2% market share compared to windows that enjoy a healthy 90%+ PC market-share. Thought Linus was more down to earth than putting up a finger to a company that have invested much more into Linux compared to what they gained from it.With a 1:45 ratio, increasing cost to make drivers to Linux due to the increasing fragmentation between the different Distros.What a shocker nVidia isnt polishing its drivers as much any more, if i were Nvidia it would been time to pull the plug competently after this way of saying thanks for your support!Reply
You do realize that most servers use some type of linux? I don't know much about that driver situation but I'm sure Tesla gets a healthy dose of driver optimization for linux.
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It makes sense, ATI and Linux's market share are fairly similar, and their user bases equally deluded.Reply
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cloudberry rantocSo he cries that Nvidia doesn't make the same quality drivers for a OS with less than 2% market share compared to windows that enjoy a healthy 90%+ PC market-share. Thought Linus was more down to earth than putting up a finger to a company that have invested much more into Linux compared to what they gained from it.With a 1:45 ratio, increasing cost to make drivers to Linux due to the increasing fragmentation between the different Distros.What a shocker nVidia isnt polishing its drivers as much any more, if i were Nvidia it would been time to pull the plug competently after this way of saying thanks for your support!Reply
Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't a 2% market share still amount to millions of machines using Linux? -
Dangi rantocSo he cries that Nvidia doesn't make the same quality drivers for a OS with less than 2% market share compared to windows that enjoy a healthy 90%+ PC market-share. Thought Linus was more down to earth than putting up a finger to a company that have invested much more into Linux compared to what they gained from it.With a 1:45 ratio, increasing cost to make drivers to Linux due to the increasing fragmentation between the different Distros.What a shocker nVidia isnt polishing its drivers as much any more, if i were Nvidia it would been time to pull the plug competently after this way of saying thanks for your support!Reply
Linux is way more than the 2% that you stated.
Android is linux based, how many android phones are ??
In the university you use linux.
Almost all servers run on linux
Yeah maybe the gaming market is not using linux so that's the reason why Nvidia doesn't develop drivers for them, but linux is way more than that 2% and is growing -
rantoc gilgamexYou do realize that most servers use some type of linux? I don't know much about that driver situation but I'm sure Tesla gets a healthy dose of driver optimization for linux.Reply
The argument about the server share of Linux installs further the argument that they gain less, not that many servers use powerful discrete gfx cards for instance. Working 2d drivers and the server part is mostly set. As for the Tesla range of cards i can imagine that the Cuda/OpenCL drivers have much more shared code base between the os's than the 3d gfx counterparts and thus are easier to maintain.
Get me right i like Linux but i cant for the world understand Mr.Linux's way of thanking nVidia for their work.