Rewriting the code in another language is a costly endeavor, especially since the existing COBOL is being used in mission-critical environments. Introducing a port in a completely different language throws away 30 years or more of bug fixes that have gone toward making the existing systems extremely robust. The replacement software needs to be bulletproof before deployment, and the costs of creating software that solid can be downright absurd.
COBOL programming knowledge is going to be a very profitable niche for some time to come, especially if you have solid experience in other suitable languages if and when those systems are rewritten. I've considered learning it myself.
A company wants to try to make their product work better on your OS, and you tell them to fuck off? Why am I not surprised?
Enjoy your ideological win. Likewise, enjoy your permanent relegation to second class status in the desktop OS world. Nvidia certainly won't cry themselves to sleep if their drivers don't work as well under Linux as they'd like. It's not as if losing the few thousand video card sales (integrated and discrete) that are made to desktop Linux users would affect their bottom line much.
bolt enough proprietary stuff onto it it's not really linux anymore
Yeah, it would probably end up being something that's better and more usable than Linux.
What it will lead to is *zero* vendor GPU drivers being developed in the open. Who the hell would expose their proprietary code to placate less than one percent of the desktop market share?
GPL zealots are both stupid and clueless. Keep your actions up and you'll be lucky if you have access to accelerated 3D drivers -- even closed-source ones -- five years from now.
What's with all the Path of Exile shills these days? It's just another shitty free-to-play game that will eventually be forced to switch to the same 'pay to win' model that nearly every other F2P game already has.
With few exceptions, I want to know what a game is going to cost me to play *before* I start playing. Charge me up front - don't make me piss away a few bucks here or a few bucks there to get full enjoyment out of the experience.
To write good code is a worthy challenge, and a source of civilized delight. -- stolen and paraphrased from William Safire