@mk This is a 10+ year old picture.

ATI was one of the first GPU companies to design their GPUs to require the runtime loading of proprietary peripheral software (incorrectly referred to as firmware) for the GPU to function correctly (i.e. 3D acceleration).

This problem still exists to this day, although the GNU Linux-libre project has made corrections to the radeonsi driver so it loads without the proprietary software (you get native resolution output and non-accelerated 3D, which works fine for desktop purposes, but unfortunately S3 ACPI doesn't work).


ATI is no more ever since they got bought out by AMD to eliminate competition and to gain access to their patent monopolies.