Yeah, nvidia started open sourcing their kernel interface. But it only works with new GPUs and not the millions of 1080s people still have. Plus the license of nvidia’s closed source drivers (which are still needed) forbid them from being included in an OS image.
Small projects like Bazzite might get away with including them anyways but I bet Valve will have to make a deal with nvidia.
edit: With nvidia releasing their cloud gaming client on SteamOS I just now realised that that is probably a direct result of this kind of discussions.
Yeah, nvidia started open sourcing their kernel interface. But it only works with new GPUs and not the millions of 1080s people still have. Plus the license of nvidia’s closed source drivers (which are still needed) forbid them from being included in an OS image.
Small projects like Bazzite might get away with including them anyways but I bet Valve will have to make a deal with nvidia.
edit: With nvidia releasing their cloud gaming client on SteamOS I just now realised that that is probably a direct result of this kind of discussions.