>This is no offense, but you did not answer the question ... one *needs* 
>to be able to fix bugs.

I don't *need* to fix bugs in operating systems or compilers etc.  That's
Somebody Else's Problem.  I can always use a different one, after all.

Remember that from a user perspective there's no issue whether performance
and stability issues are blob or hardware - they're just parts of the
vendor product.  Blob vendors do have an interest in quality here.

> > We NEED documentation explaining how the hardware works.

You NEED a pony.

>Once one starts incorporating binary blobs, one cannot stop anymore, 
>because the industry will consider its actions approved by the users.

And how important, precisely, is a tiny number of whiners compared to
the mass-market sales of nViida and ATI?  Get over it, get a life.

I understand that openness would be advantageous, really, but you
*have* heard of King Canute haven't you?

>stop blob, Martin
stop whining and get a life, James