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S3 Tries to Get Back Into PC Graphics
mikemuch writes "ExtremeTech has a review of S3's attempt to get some traction in the lower-end graphics card market, the Chrome S27. Though its specs look great--256MB memory, 700MHz core clock rate, 1.4GHz memory clock, and 22.4 GB/sec memory throughput, it still manages to underperform similarly priced video cards from the red and green graphics companies."
Supply full GPL/BSD licensed source code to the X.org and kernel.org for inclusion in mainline.
They're not going to do that. If for no other reason than their own texture compression technology (S3TC) which they license to other video card makers (namely ATI and Nvidia, as well as MS for DirectX drivers).
Even if they were to release the souce you probably couldn't use it unless they granted some kind of license to use the patented algorithms freely. And they haven't done that to date despite lobbying by various people (including Alan Cox).
Of course, people who actually know this have been saying it everytime someone says "open up the source!" to video card makers, and most people still don't get it. Sigh.
What's really interesting is that S3 has nothing to lose by open sourcing its drivers. They're not doing anything that ATI and Nvidia aren't already doing better. That's kind of like Yugo being protective of their drivetrain design.
i've been trying to keep track of video card comparisons, and rank the cards since the 5200. since neither i nor my friends can buy $300 cards, i kept the list to the lower end of the spectrum. what is interesting is where the current generation of integrated graphics on the motherboard compare to which cards.
**best price/performance**
nVid 7600 GT ($210)
ATI X1600 XT ($170)
nVid 6600 GT ($140)
**best price/performance**
the faster at top:
ATI X800 Pro ~$250 ($150 refurb)
ATI 9950 ultra (N/A)
nVid 6800 LE/XT (LE=slower)($150,$300)
ATI 9800 XT(~$185)
ATI X700 PRO($125,135)
nVid 5900U/5950 Ultra($250)
ATI 9800 PRO(~$130)
=ATI 9700 pro
=ATI 9800 ($90??)
=nVid 5900/5950
ATI 9700 ($110)
nVid 6600 ($100)???
nVid 5800 ultra
(3GHz)
nVid 5700 Ultra (N/A)
ATI X1300 PRO($105)
ATI X700 (not pro)
ATI 9500 Pro ($95 used)
(yes it beats 9600pro!)
=nVid 5600 Ultra
=ATI 9600 pro/XT ($100)
=ATI X600 PRO/XT ($100)
nVid 5800
ATI 9800 SE(128 bit)
nVid 5700/5750
nVid 6200 non-tc (under $100!)
=nVid 5600
=ATI 9500/9550/9600
ATI X300 non-Hypmem???
nVid 5700 LE (MINE)
nVid GF4 Ti 4600
nVid 5200 ULTRA
nVid 5600 XT (XT=lower)
ATI 9600 SE
this last group of expansion cards is equal to the current generation of integrated onboard graphics
***very slow***
nVid 5200/5500
nVid PCX 5300
nVid 6200 Turbocache
ATI 9200 SE
ATI X300 SE Hypermemory
current generation of integrated graphics chipsets:
-- Intel GMA950
-- nVidia 6100/6150
-- ATI xpress 200
i disable sigs
Actually, S3 does have a Linux driver team. And Mac drivers are built by Apple, not by the vid card manufacturers (the vid card manufacturers provide the specs). So worry not, it'll be there in due time.