Comment by gizmo686
13 years ago
The Linux kernel developers take backwards compatibility very seriously. Here is a tame excerpt from Linux on the subject: "Seriously. Binary compatibility is so important that I do not want to have anything to do with kernel developers who don't understand that importance. If you continue to pooh-pooh the issue, you only show yourself to be unreliable. Don't do it." [1]
Why is it that I can run my Radeon x1900 under Windows 7/8 with Windows Vista drivers? Runs StarCraft2 and a bunch of newer FPS games just fine.
Linux on the other hand is a disaster. The kernel devs are so determined to break binary compatibility, I haven't been able to run with ATI's proprietary binary drivers for years. While AMD was a good open source citizen and released the specs, the open source drivers for my card are useless for anything other than 2D.
Linus is talking about userspace binary compatibility. Your graphics drivers are relying on kernel module binary compatibility, which is not guaranteed.
Yes, but without working drivers for my system, what good is user space binary compatibility? MS has maintained compatibly for their drivers, something kernel developers seem to careless about. Which was exactly the point of the original poster.