On: The AMD Radeon Graphics Driver Makes Up Roughly 10.5% of the Linux Kernel

[tylerhou]

> Also, why doesn't TSMC slap a license on every IC that leaves their fab, taking (say) a 30% profit from every application in which their ICs are being used?

Because companies would stop using TSMC chips...?

Not to mention the logistical problems to attribute "profit" to any chip in particular.

[lostmsu → tylerhou]

I don't think not using TSMC is a viable option anymore. There's (slightly worse?) Samsung alternative, but they can't satisfy the demand.

[amelius → lostmsu]

Also, if TSMC introduces the license, then Samsung may do the same.

But perhaps I'm too much thinking from the perspective of what large US based businesses would do.

[srtjstjsj → amelius]

US trusts are nothing compared to Asian trusts.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keiretsu

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaebol

[fomine3 → srtjstjsj]

Not about trusts but about too much capitalism on US (like pharmaceutical industry?)

[tylerhou → lostmsu]

For GPUs, I agree that you currently have to use TSMC. But if TSMC were to charge 30% of profits, you would almost certainly see a migration to other fabs which would harm TSMC's long-term profitability.

[formerly_proven → tylerhou]

> For GPUs, I agree that you currently have to use TSMC.

RTX 30 is manufactured by Samsung.

[tylerhou → formerly_proven]

Not the Quadros used in datacenters. GA100 is on TSMC 7nm according Nvidia themselves: https://developer.nvidia.com/blog/nvidia-ampere-architecture...

[alacombe → lostmsu]

Give it 10 years and a lot of engineering time, maybe half a trillion USD and you'll get the equivalent in the mainland US. Until then, it's more convenient to use the US military resource to protect Taiwan from PRoC.