Slashdot Mirror
The State of Linux Graphics
jonsmirl writes "I've written a lengthy article covering what I learned during the last two years building the Xegl display server. Topics include the current X server, framebuffer, Xgl, graphics drivers, multiuser support, using the GPU, and a new display server design. Hopefully it will help you fill in the pieces and build an overall picture of the graphics landscape."
Two years ago at FOSDEM, the Xorg fork had just occurred, and there was much excitement. Maybe this time, free from the shackles of the X consortium and XFree86, X would actually improve to the point where we can be proud, and snicker at our Mac OS X using chums and say "Why can't Quartz do this then, eh?"
Unfortunately, the way I read this article is:
1) Linux Graphics is a bloody mess.
2) X is still an embarassment, five years behind (at least) what Quartz and Avalon are capable of.
3) Nobody has the time, manpower or inclination to fix it.
Ah tits.
Ten years ago, we were having the discussion about X being b0rken. In ten years time will we still be having this discussion?
Plus ca change...?
Actually I am still excited about X's future. Yes, X development stagnated pretty badly under XFree86. But things are moving along nicely now that X development is being conducted at X.org.
The state of Linux Graphics isn't a mess. The controversy this article caused on LKML shows that many people are talking and working together and feel that things are improving. It may not be close to what Quartz is capable of yet. But it is still moving the right way.
The Big Iron vendors let X stagnate because they never ever seemed understand the desktop space. Stupidly, they let Bill and his minions stroll in and take it over before they really had any chance to grasp what a mistake they'd made.
Then XFree86 let X stagnate further, thinking of itself as some exclusive Gentleman's Club.
Fortunately, the foundations of X are right. Simple, modular, highly extensible. If there's one thing the Unix Way gets right, it's simple, modular and extensible.
Now, perhaps, X has finally space to really thrive and grow.
I reckon the Slashdot will still be having "X Suxx0rs!!!" flamewars in 10 years. I hope also that those trolls will be even more wrong than they are now.
Perhaps my terminal optimism is sweetly naive, but I sincerely hope and expect X to go from being "just-about-ok" now to leaving Mac OX smoking dead in the dust in the next few years.
There are lots of issues that need to get resolved reguarding X and Unix/Linux. The biggest one I've seen is that the developers are super focused on everything being GPL all the way down to the driver level. Here's an example I have a SiS 650 it uses the SiS 315 chipset. Currently there is no 3D driver available in X.
But, When I started to dig further into why the SiS 315 wasn't supported. I found out that the SiS 315 was the basis for all of SiS/XGI's new chipsets and included all kinds of new IP, register informtion/locations, and therefor datasheets could not be released to create an open driver. Ok, that is reasonable. So I asked if I could view the datasheets. After sighing an NDA I receievd all chipset datasheets within 2 weeks and an internal chip development contact. SiS/XGI was more than happy to work with me to get things to run under Linux/Unix but, their hands were just tied about releasing the specs as open. Also they don't have the technical resources to create a X driver.
Why can't a binary driver be accepted? I understand the implications. But seriously there are times when you need to look at the bigger picture.
My rant is done...