NVIDIA to NGOHQ: stop distributing modified drivers

[Tim Murray]

Saga starts here. Standard stuff: NVIDIA determines who can distribute the driver, you are not authorized, modified drivers are bad, so stop. Then it gets hilarious:

i dont understand what they have against you

Maybe because we’re not publishing biased reviews, or because we refuse to give them control over this site, or they are just unhappy because they can't accept the truth or criticism.

The ForceWare and nForce drivers are Nvidia property and although the company is not specific as to their distribution it is logical that they can choose who can and who cannot make them available.

Yes, they can choose who can and who cannot make them available. The only problem is... this is against the US Antitrust laws, and if they are preventing us from offering competition, then they may face Antitrust Lawsuit. So basically, according to the US laws, they cannot choose who can/cannot make them available because it will result in a Discrimination and Antitrust Lawsuits against them. And sadly, we are not based in the US, so they cannot use US copyright law against us, but they are based in the US, and we can use their own laws against them.

How can Apple sell the iPhone only though AT&T?

They can, until someone will sue them for that.

Also, NGOHQ uses 18 terabytes a month for bandwidth among other ridiculous claims.

Oh, and now they have a response. I'm glad drivers are free and don't come with a license (wait what's that thing that I click on when I install the drivers). Plus, this gem:

We are modifying ‘driver .INF file’ because you’re using your software illegally as a tool to promote your new products. You’re removing INF file support for older product generations to promote your new products illegally, and using your drivers as tool for psychological warfare on your customers. Your actions are violating the United States Antitrust laws and consumer rights. You’re also making false advertisements by claiming your software is Unified Driver Architecture, while it’s not.

Sorry, I have a soft spot for Internet drama, especially when it's funny

 

[Mark]

IANAL, and apparently neither is anyone at NGOHQ

 

[Tim Murray]

There is a very limited amount of websites who offer the same services for free. We don’t ask for anything in return but respect. Instead of providing us support, review samples, information and briefings, NVIDIA is sending us legal threats and abuse. Not only you’re not helping us, but you’re abusing us, yes! your own support site.

So they're really just mad that they don't get samples.

 

[tuanies]

Oh schnapp. They're in for it now. Derek Perez is going to pwn them with 50 attorneys!

 

[Tim Murray]

Oh schnapp. They're in for it now. Derek Perez is going to pwn them with 50 attorneys!

There are lawyers in Israel? Get out!

 

[Mummy]

And Hilarity ensures

 

[Skrying]

Can't say anything bad about the people at NGOHQ personally... why? Because they provided a driver to support my card when Nvidia didn't. When I got a 6800GS as a RMA there was NO driver from Nvidia available on the net for me to download and work, I tried all the betas on the sight and spent around 2 hours trying to get it to work. Finally search the net, found it a common problem and then grabbed a modified driver from NGOHQ that worked.

I don't really see the problem with this anyway. NGOHQ should just have to provide a big warning sign that the drivers are not official before you install them, this way when people call Nvidia with issues they can pretty much tell them to screw off. Its that simple to be honest.

 

[Tim Murray]

I don't really see the problem with this anyway. NGOHQ should just have to provide a big warning sign that the drivers are not official before you install them, this way when people call Nvidia with issues they can pretty much tell them to screw off. Its that simple to be honest.

NVIDIA's always done this with modified drivers (which is a separate issue, but they certainly sent a C&D to Omega). I was more concerned with the ridiculous response. Not like modifying INFs yourself is hard, anyway.

 

[digitalwanderer]

IANAL, and apparently neither is anyone at NGOHQ

So they're really just mad that they don't get samples.

Oh this thread has brought back a lot of memories and is giving me big smiles!

 

[AlexV]

I`m dumb. iANAL=some new Apple product, to complement the iPhone or the iPod?

 

[Tim Murray]

I`m dumb. iANAL=some new Apple product, to complement the iPhone or the iPod?

I am not a lawyer. Crazy kids, not knowing their acronyms! (or maybe they don't read Slashdot, because that prefaces almost every post)

 

[AlexV]

I am not a lawyer. Crazy kids, not knowing their acronyms! (or maybe they don't read Slashdot, because that prefaces almost every post)

The only time i remember trying to read slashdot was when Carmack made one of his keynotes.

 

[Davros]

If only ngo would bring back the nvidia popup stopper - wasnt that a great idea
shame on you nvidia for removing it

 

[swaaye]

Well, I've only ever had use for these "homebrew" driver packs with my laptop. But that was only with ATI, before they did their Catalyst Mobile edition. I bet NV gets a lot of support requests from people running these driver concoctions. I've always been perplexed with how enthusiasts can hope to improve IHV drivers, especially with regards to compatibility. It's not like they can do any notable level of in-house validation. It's always been rather placebo-ish to me.

 

[Davros]

see my post above - proof that there are idiots on the nv driver team

 

[Arun]

see my post above - proof that there are idiots on the nv driver team

Is that sarcasm? Did you seriously like that feature? :|

 

[Simon F]

I am not a lawyer. Crazy kids, not knowing their acronyms! (or maybe they don't read Slashdot, because that prefaces almost every post)

No. The slashdot ones also include the letter "P".

 

[Davros]

Is that sarcasm? Did you seriously like that feature? :|

Eh, you work on a 3d graphics web site are you now expecting me to beleive that your main criteria when buying a graphics card is not the quality of the popup stopper

Oh + Davros complains he cant find no popup stopper benchmarks on beyond 3d............

 

[ChrisRay]

I am not a lawyer. Crazy kids, not knowing their acronyms! (or maybe they don't read Slashdot, because that prefaces almost every post)

I actually went and looked it up. Never heard of it before.

 

[Aerows]

Well, you had to click the agree button on the EULA popup window to download the drivers, so I could see that causing some problems eventually...