The shim module smuggles GPL-only kernel symbols into the non-GPL binary blob. Because the actual module using those symbols is not GPL compatible this violates the GPL license.

From Linus Torvalds mouth:

anybody who were to change a xyz_GPL to the non-GPL one in order to use it with a non-GPL module would almost immediately fall under the “willful infringement” thing, and that it would make it MUCH easier to get triple damages and/or injunctions, since they clearly knew about it.

In short, nvidia is playing with “please sue me” button.

For hopping into the GNU/Linux, installing any distro in a Virtual machine or testing liveboot is an good way to to start. The first choice of distro has no meaning. My first was Knoppix on Win98 machine. Tried Ubuntu. Linux Mint got me hooked ~2014, moved to Arch Linux after Antergos. I’m still using Cinnamon DE.

Some “funny” realizations I have made over the years:

• Distros are just vast collections of the same software. The choice is simply what includes your subset.
• Most of the bad rep is missing in-kernel driver for device. Once AMDGPU got usable everything changed for me.
• You can “copy-paste” the entire system into different disk, plug it into another PC and it’s like remote accessing the original.
• It will feel like learning a new language, every time you need to something new. This just fact of life.
• If you want to be “bad person”: find the exact lines of source code and who wrote them. Then curse that person and the program.
• If you want to be mediocre: post an bug report. Maybe it is fixed asap or put onto “wish-list” and forgotten.
• If you want to be an amazing: donate code. Like actually write it. But be warned, the other users are also like vampires, really picky and demands are unreasonable for the time required. If nobody does this then the software turns into stone.
• By popular vote, some things have surpassed their black boxed counter part and there is no equivalent black box to be purchased. It has become free-software-only.

From above, the making of bug report/feature request is an introduction point into an amazing community behind the software you used. It is not an black box of faceless shareholders.

The occasional awareness tests for Linux users:

• When is the new kernel released? I must have the newest kernel.
• Update removed the floor you were standing on.
• The horror of installing anything on windows makes my skin crawl.
• The horror of accidentally pasting “rm -rf” into prompt and knowing it was yourself who pushed the button.
• No back-doors, unless you installed one.