@Linux4Everyone It's not firmware, as those GPU's don't come with socketed ROM chips.

nvidia has pretty much just moved most of the driver into proprietary peripheral software that runs on the GPU and has some machinery to communicate with that software in Linux.

Such software also has a signature on it, as a form of digital handcuffs to make it cryptographically impossible to replace the software.


To be entirely honest I just see a chain of derivative works even though the peripheral software is not running on the main CPU, as it's specifically designed to communicate with Linux modules that are themselves GPLv2 with the kernel modules and the peripheral software being updated in lockstep.

Too bad those Linux developers don't have enough of a spine to take nvidia (and any other party that is committing contributory infringement with nvidia) to court and demand they release the source code of the peripheral software and installation information under the GPLv2 or a compatible license, or alternately just notify nvidia that their license has been automatically terminated and to give a good reason why the license should be reinstated (unlike the GPLv3, the GPLv2 immediately terminates on infringement).