As if it weren't already a stretch for the community to ask commercial developers to make drivers with performance and functionality on-par with their Win32 counterparts. Now the developers want to put that at risk by making it even more difficult for commercial developers to write good drivers? I'm awe-struck.
As an anonymous reader already pointed out, hardware companies do not feel they need to support Linux as well as they support Windows. Making Linux support more difficult is just going to alienate desperately needed supporters. I admire the idealism, but let's be realistic. If anything, the kernel devs should be making stride to accomodate binary module writers, especially those with good drivers to contribute.
>> If Linux discourages or forbids binary only drivers, the driver manufacturers won't make drivers for Linux (since, in many cases, they are bound by licenses that won't allow them to release open source drivers).
Exactly. This is especially true with video cards.
No binary modules? What self-rightous idiot thought of that? That would alienate all major support for video cards. For all you purists, get it through your thick skulls: Patents exist on OpenGL and many other technologies (Such as S3TC) that are required for many applications (Such as Unreal Tournament 2003). Check other threads with nVidia-related information and you'll find more detailed information on nVidia / SGI / Microsoft / etc. patents on widely used industry standard OpenGL technologies.
And besides, imagine the hypocrisy of the Linux kernel devs taking away choices from the people that use their kernel. I mean, I thought Linux was supposed to be for people who actually wanted control over what goes into their kernel.
>>Also, (I'm sure you've heard this before) can you make sure there's some easy way for linux users to register the fact that they bought just for linux support on your site? If there were unanticipated problems this time, it might help convince the skeptics in management it's really worth the trouble, next time around.
Look for "The Great Linux Client Thread" in the forums and voice your comments and concerns.
Actually, my brother bought it for me as an X-Mas present. I felt obligated to run through the first chapter in Windows so I could tell him how much I appreciated his gift come the 25th of this month:)
I've ported Miles 6.5c over to Linux. It works flawlessly, including dynamically loading ASI, FLT, and M3D modules. I've submitted the code back to RadGameTools. NWN dev folks, please contact me for details: slouken@devolution.com
--Sam Lantinga, Software Engineer, Blizzard Entertainment
Choose their fast, stable, proprietary drivers or go with someone else and get a fraction of the performance. I play a lot of Quake 3 and UT2K3, so I'm more interested in speed than principle. nVidia gives me the choice.
Has anyone tried Something Awful hosting? I'm curious to hear if Lowtax actually pulls through or if he's no better than the scum he always bitches about.
>>This quote examplifies exactly what is wrong with you Linux geeks.
Umm, no? It's unfortunate because not all of us want to blow money on Windows. Fortunately, as some people pointed out earlier, users might only need to boot into FreeDOS.
You can do as someone already suggested and grab a BIOS image from your motherboard manufacturer. I know Asus is usually pretty good about that for all those damned overclockers and tweakers out there:-) If LinuxBIOS gets messed up, then boot up another machine, swap BIOSes (While it's running. Yes, this is safe), and flash Asus BIOS back on to it.
There are a number of places on the web where you can order new BIOS chips if you don't want to risk your current one. Or you can always pull a BIOS chip out of an older computer. Just make sure it's big enough--I think the standard size is a quarter megabyte for most BIOS parts in modern computers.
Slashdot Mirror
As if it weren't already a stretch for the community to ask commercial developers to make drivers with performance and functionality on-par with their Win32 counterparts. Now the developers want to put that at risk by making it even more difficult for commercial developers to write good drivers? I'm awe-struck.
As an anonymous reader already pointed out, hardware companies do not feel they need to support Linux as well as they support Windows. Making Linux support more difficult is just going to alienate desperately needed supporters. I admire the idealism, but let's be realistic. If anything, the kernel devs should be making stride to accomodate binary module writers, especially those with good drivers to contribute.
>>Few companies are going to make major investments in Linux if they have to deal with prima donna programmers who love fucking with them.
Alas, what good is a God if he has no followers?
And if they fuck stab nVidia in the back, I'll be using the Win32 kernel.
>> If Linux discourages or forbids binary only drivers, the driver manufacturers won't make drivers for Linux (since, in many cases, they are bound by licenses that won't allow them to release open source drivers).
Exactly. This is especially true with video cards.
No binary modules? What self-rightous idiot thought of that? That would alienate all major support for video cards. For all you purists, get it through your thick skulls: Patents exist on OpenGL and many other technologies (Such as S3TC) that are required for many applications (Such as Unreal Tournament 2003). Check other threads with nVidia-related information and you'll find more detailed information on nVidia / SGI / Microsoft / etc. patents on widely used industry standard OpenGL technologies.
And besides, imagine the hypocrisy of the Linux kernel devs taking away choices from the people that use their kernel. I mean, I thought Linux was supposed to be for people who actually wanted control over what goes into their kernel.
Be careful, I'm not Sam :( I was merely quoting something he said on the Neverwinter Nights community forum @ Bioware.
>>Also, (I'm sure you've heard this before) can you make sure there's some easy way for linux users to register the fact that they bought just for linux support on your site? If there were unanticipated problems this time, it might help convince the skeptics in management it's really worth the trouble, next time around.
Look for "The Great Linux Client Thread" in the forums and voice your comments and concerns.
Me, for one.
:)
Actually, my brother bought it for me as an X-Mas present. I felt obligated to run through the first chapter in Windows so I could tell him how much I appreciated his gift come the 25th of this month
From the NWN Community board ( Great Linux Client Thread #18):
Posted: Saturday, 14 December 04:45PM
Miles problems solved!
I've ported Miles 6.5c over to Linux. It works flawlessly, including dynamically loading ASI, FLT, and M3D modules. I've submitted the code back to RadGameTools. NWN dev folks, please contact me for details: slouken@devolution.com
--Sam Lantinga, Software Engineer, Blizzard Entertainment
We have a choice (duh).
Choose their fast, stable, proprietary drivers or go with someone else and get a fraction of the performance. I play a lot of Quake 3 and UT2K3, so I'm more interested in speed than principle. nVidia gives me the choice.
It had to be said, thanks.
Damn right. That's actually one of the several reasons I stopped using Windows.
Maybe there wouldn't be so much shoplifting if CDs didn't cost almost $20 a piece.
Sounds like a complaint to me.
Sorry, but anything going beyond the hundred thousandth decimal place does not count big., at least not in my book!
No, not even if you're counting subatomic particles.
Maybe then he would think twice about defending the spammer.
Has anyone tried Something Awful hosting? I'm curious to hear if Lowtax actually pulls through or if he's no better than the scum he always bitches about.
Ummm, do you even use Linux?
The Slashdot folks aren't saying the Radeon line is bad in terms of hardware quality, but merely expressing disappointment with driver problems.
>>This quote examplifies exactly what is wrong with you Linux geeks.
Umm, no? It's unfortunate because not all of us want to blow money on Windows. Fortunately, as some people pointed out earlier, users might only need to boot into FreeDOS.
No.
>>Ancient artists used a technique called stippling - in which pictures are created by painting or carving a series of tiny dots
Wait a second, isn't this what we've been doing all along? I know those 1600x1200 numbers must have some meaning...
Way to go!
I'm curious to know what SiS's involvement was in this project, seeing as to how all those nodes use SiS chipsets.
1) Desktops that boot really really fast.
2) Cheap cluster nodes that need to boot really really fast.
3) It rocks (See opensource).
I think a better question is "Why not?"
Yeah, but why would you want your old BIOS?
:-) If LinuxBIOS gets messed up, then boot up another machine, swap BIOSes (While it's running. Yes, this is safe), and flash Asus BIOS back on to it.
You can do as someone already suggested and grab a BIOS image from your motherboard manufacturer. I know Asus is usually pretty good about that for all those damned overclockers and tweakers out there
There are a number of places on the web where you can order new BIOS chips if you don't want to risk your current one. Or you can always pull a BIOS chip out of an older computer. Just make sure it's big enough--I think the standard size is a quarter megabyte for most BIOS parts in modern computers.
What a counter-productive point of view.
That's sort of like saying "I'll stick with Windows until Linux gets out of development stages."