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AMD's New Card Supports Linux From the Get-Go
Michael writes "Back in September AMD had announced a new ATI Linux driver as well as opening up their GPU specifications, and today they have taken an additional step to better support the Linux OS. With the just-announced Radeon HD 4850 RV770 they have provided same-day Linux support, and the Linux driver is now shipping alongside the Windows driver on their product CDs. In addition, they are encouraging their AIB partners to showcase Tux on the product packaging as a sign of Linux support. Last but certainly not least, AMD is committed from top-to-bottom product support on Linux and they will be introducing high-end features in their Linux driver such as MultiGPU CrossFire technology. Phoronix has a run-down on AMD's evolutionary leap in Linux support along with information on the open-source support for the RV770 GPU."
how many native linux games are there that can utilize it ? nevertheless, it's a start for linux gaming. Hopefully more and more games ported to linux
Somehow I don't see very many linux user's picking these up for their machines. Maybe in 2-3 years when the price-point comes down.
Roughly half my comments are never submitted. You may be reading the better half...
They're useless to me unless the source is available, preferably under the GPL. I really wish they'd work -inside- the framework of the kernel, Mesa, and xorg projects instead of building one-off binary drivers. What if I want to use their card on PowerPC, want to link against the latest (or a non-mainline) kernel, or just want to run an all-open system?
Right now I would settle for a driver that works on recent kernels since one of those improvements mean much to me if I can't actually install them.
I used to be a huge ATI fan but I've completely stopped buying their stuff. If they can't be bothered to make working drivers or have useful support answers. I can't be bothered to shell out money for something that's just going into the garbage bin anyways.
It doesn't matter, the linux tools are good enough to run all that windows crap anyway. And for free. Enjoy your negative three hundred dollars of fail, fucking idiot.
On the Oregon Cost born and raised, On the beach is where I spent most of my days
You're wrong, unless of course your into the whole buy now wait 2 weeks, sell for 101%...
Gaming is HUGE, Linux is gaining every day, as far as I see it they can't go wrong here, because its not like its Linux only, it still supports Windows, they probably hired one or 2 people to code the Linux drivers... so what, no real loss there, and if they created their own little open-source driver thing it would be no loss at all really, and I think its fairly safe to say that Linux isn't going anywhere, and will be increasing the market share consistently for years to come...
They are creating the demand (in part) now we just have to wait for the supply (the game devs)...
big number [majority share] * small number [Linux graphics market] = still a small number [-1 troll]
People debugging their Linux rivers will often also be helping to debug their Windows drivers too!
Hw vendors should really use OSS more to help them get more eyeballs on the code.
Engineering is the art of compromise.
i don't run a linux system at home. I'm a gamer during the evenings, and an OpenGL programmer and law student during the day time. There has simply been no need for me to. Since term ended I decided to give my beloved KDE ago and try out KDE 4.0 using Kubuntu via the Wubi installer. Fantastic package... it all went swimmingly well
Until... The proprietary nvidia driver decided its automatic screen mode (res and refresh rate) was best, and ignored any attempt to add a modeline to xorg.conf. I had to (gasp) look at the back of my monitor and add the v and h frequencies myself. Sadly the nvidia driver simply ignores my monitors EDID.
I've been a long long proponent of "if it works" proprietary drivers in the kernel, such as nvidia's, providing they are robust and either equally or a more significantly more beneficial component to the system than others more important. But that was back when I accepted the fact there was an amount of tinkering to be done, or there was an amount of work to be done to glue things together. As the linux "system" becomes better at handling things automatically, the flaws in proprietary drivers are becoming less forgiveable because they are a bottleneck. When proprietary pieces of technology can't be glued together because they're at fault, I begin see the issues. In my case the nvidia driver finally became a more significant hindrance to my system, than a graphically accelerated benefit when correctly configured.
It's finally the time to say the bottleneck in Linux on the desktop is edging towards drivers, so very slowly.
Matt
For me, compiz fusion has become really useful. My widescreen notebook has limited vertical screen real estate, so the ability to get rid of the bottom bar and use window scaling to find running apps is great. The ability to fade windows and look underneath them is also great. Up until recently, I have bought nVidia, because while the drivers are non free blobs, they have tended to just work. Now that's changing and this additional step in promoting Linux support means that the next graphics I buy will ATI.
I don't really play games except occasionally and the games that are available for Linux are more than enough. It's the advertised support for desktop effects and apps like blender that has me sold, but maybe the fact that they are pushing for Tux to be included on the box means that the mindshare has increased to the point where more games will follow.
I don't therefore I'm not.
Everything starts out small. Getting deeply involved in the right thing when it's small and there's little competition is how you become the dominant player in tomorrow's huge, profitable market. Just look at Microsoft.
When someone says, "Any fool can see
Historically nVidia's linux drivers absolutely crushed ATi's, giving nVidia quite a bit of momentum with the part of Linux crowd that would take advantage of greater-than-Intel graphics cards. If AMD starts getting some momentum nVidia may have a reason to even consider doing something more for their Linux consumers. It'll be a while yet.
"A witty saying proves nothing." - Voltaire
AMD wants in on that stuff.
...are we scared yet?
Good job ATI; you're finally allowing people to use your products with whatever operating system they want. ATI should NOT be applauded for this. Full linux support should be expected from all hardware vendors, no exceptions. This is too little, much too late.
:)
After spending two years battling fglrx for basic features like compositing and suspend-to-ram I've already moved on and committed to never purchasing another ATI product again. Have they even fixed suspend-to-ram in the pathetic fglrx blob yet? I wouldn't say ATI's products "support" linux until I can suspend-to-ram 100 times in a row without one flaw.
Can you tell that I'm bitter?
Its = possessive. It's = "it is"
You need to support it with your buying decisions.
AMD is without equal in the x86 space right now in terms of openness. They release specs, and they write and release code. All the Family 10 support in coreboot (a.k.a. Linuxbios) was written by AMD employees. We saw this open approach earlier with the K8, then Hypertransport, then the Geode CPUs used in the One Laptop Per Child, now we see the same trend in graphics. AMD is on a roll right now with openness.
I just, yesterday, downloaded the "BIOS programmers guide" for the AMD FAM10. This is the kind of information that few vendors release.
If you care about having this kind of access to hardware specs, you need to vote -- with your purchasing $$$. AMD has taken a huge gamble on openness. Keep that in mind next time you need a machine.
Ron Minnich (who forgot his password)
Why the requirement for the maker to be in the consumer sector? Even given that restriction, I'd argue that both Via and Intel have increased their market penetration in the low-end market by supporting Linux for their integrated graphics cards (yes, I know that Chrome sucks). They basically created the opportunity for the EeePC to exist. Most other low-end linux appliances use integrated graphics, too.
Other notables... Nvidia has had a lock on the Linux market for years because of their support. The WRT line with Linux support made that router long outlive its normal market time.
Is that enough for you? No? Then take away the silly consumer sector requirement and I'll add fifty more.
Finally, there's no way to "partner" with Linux. Either you support it (at some level) or you don't. Who would you partner with?
Put identity in the browser.
SRSLY. Use an older driver for that machine, or look at the Omega Drivers, which are optimized and have cut-down control interfaces. What Machtyn said, a 6600 is wasted on that FPOS Duron. Something that old could be at home with an old GF4MX or Radeon 7000.
Hail Eris, full of mischief...
E pluribus sanguinem
Add Cisco to this list, and HP, and Dell, and IBM.
Did you forget that you're pitiful desktop measures in portions of a server? Do you know how many desktops they have to sell to match one large server (8U or better?) I mean honestly. And they have a lot more to gain from being a RHEL or whatever partner.
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