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ATI Releases AIGLX Linux Driver
Michael writes "A month after AMD released a Radeon HD 2000 'R600' Linux driver based on their new Linux driver codebase, they have now released another driver that provides AIGLX support used for Compiz and Compiz Fusion. In addition to this long-awaited AIGLX support, this driver also addresses issues with previous Radeon product families, performance improvements, AGP fixes, and added features to their graphical control panel. Phoronix has a review of the 8.42 Linux driver with all of the details about this much-anticipated release."
Mod parent down. He's replying to his own posts trying to look insightful.
"The Linux 2.6.23 support isn't found in fglrx 8.42.3 due to issues with x86_64 support. However, we do expect that fglrx 8.43 will contain the Linux 2.6.23 kernel support."
Skilled folks, those ATI engineers..
While the system may still be broken, it doesn't matter. The Linux community (myself included) has wanted better open source drivers for video cards, and AMD is finally making good on it. I may not be able to play bleeding edge games on my Linux system, but the software is getting there, and that's the important part.
"The only constant in the universe is change." - Unknown author
Keep in mind how new this is and how complex a GPU is these days. It's gonna be a mess for a few sometime. What I would like to know is who is more dedicated to making Linux drivers that are (eventually) rock solid? I'm planing to build a new rig soon. Should I go nVidiea because I know they have decent drivers now or ATI because once they get the kinks out it'll be better? I'm sure people are gonna say that ATI is better because they went Open Source. But nVidiea could open up any day now in response to all this and they already have a working code base.
Yes, it's quite good and is especially needed as fglrx doesn't support R200 chips anymore.
The bad thing for us R3xx owners is now that all the specs are open for R5xx and R6xx, I don't think there will be much more work on the older cards. I wouldn't want to do a bunch of reverse engineering for an old card when I could get docs for the new ones.
TFA is about the current closed source ATI drivers, (the one downloadable from AMD's website).
The GP was speaking about the opensource drivers, which is a different project. Anyway, AMD/ATI has promised to help them too, and is currently in the process of releasing specs, step by step. Currently they have provided enough information for the mode setting :
- it's now possible to switch to a 2D mode using opensource drivers. Before that, VESA was the only working solution because of important change between the Radeon 2D architecture (up to R4x0 / Radeon X850) and the Avivo 2D architecture (from R5x0 Radeon X1x00 onward).
Other specs will follow step by step. Anyway, you'll still have to wait at least 1 year befor good and stable opensource drivers for Radeon HD 2900 start to popup in your favorite Linux/BSD distro. The good news from today's article is that until then the current closed source drivers are ratter good.
And AMD is promising to keep releasing specs for the opensource drivers project.
"Sufficiently advanced satire is indistinguishable from reality." - [Tips: 1DrYakQDKCQ6y52z6QbnkxHXAocMZJE61o ]
how about stopping the instant whining when some company is releasing something for linux? it's really annoying.
here is the 2.6.23 patch btw: http://pluto.blackbone-ev.de/atipatch.php
but getting to that link implies READING THE ARTICLE and using a mouse. yeah i know... this is slashdot...
ATI committed to providing complete documentation, but did not provide the source code to their current driver. This is (partially) because their current closed driver contains proprietary IP that ATI does not own, so they can't open-source it. NVIDIA is in the same situation and will have to take the same slow route to open-source drivers when they eventually come to their senses. They cannot "open up any day now" and "have a working code base" instantly, any more than ATI could.
main(c,r){for(r=32;r;) printf(++c>31?c=!r--,"\n":c<r?" ":~c&r?" `":" #");}
At least the new overlords of ATI (AMD, for those not in the know) are actually making a halfway decent effort to support nix. While granted, they have a LONG way to go to meet even the quality of nVidia's drivers, at least its a step in the right direction, instead of the old "We'll make one, but we're really not going to put any effort into it" attitude. Hey, sometimes we have to be thankful for even small miracles.