NVIDIA Developer Talks Openly About Linux Support

[deanjo]

As proof of this nvidia continuing to fix bugs.... Change log on the oldest cards supported.


Legacy releases for Riva TNT, TNT2, GeForce, and some GeForce 2 GPUs
Current official release: 71.86.13 (x86 / x86_64)

71.86.13
* Improved compatibility with recent Linux kernels.

* Updated nvidia-installer to detect newer Debian distributions
that use /usr/lib32 instead of /emul/ia32-linux as the
32-bit library path.

2009-06-26 vertion 71.86.11

* Restored compatibility with recent Linux kernels.

2009-06-21 version 71.86.10

* Updated nvidia-bug-report.sh to automatically compress its log
file; running `nvidia-bug-report.sh` now produces
"nvidia-bug-report.log.gz".

Linux specific changes:

* Improved compatibility with recent Linux kernels.

* Fixed miscellaneous nvidia-installer bugs.

2009-03-09 version 71.86.09

* Fixed the subpicture component order reported by the NVIDIA
X driver's XvMC implementation.

* Fixed a server crash triggered by Kopete's 'new message' popup
dialog when a composite manager is enabled.

Linux specific changes:

* Improved compatibility with recent Linux 2.6 kernels.

* Fixed a bug that resulted in AGP FW/SBA settings and overrides
being applied incorrectly when using the Linux kernel's
AGP GART driver.

* Fixed a bug that could trigger kernel BUG() failures when
stress testing setup/teardown paths.

* Added the ability to run distribution provided pre- and post-
installation hooks to 'nvidia-installer'; please see the
'nvidia-installer' manual page for details.

* Fixed a problem that caused nvidia-installer to remove Compiz's
libglx.so.

* Added 'nvidia-uninstall' as a shortcut for `nvidia-installer
--uninstall`.

[Kano]

Well the problem with the old drivers is that they are not always running with current kernels, several older drivers only work with .28 kernel on some systems.

[deanjo]

Well the problem with the old drivers is that they are not always running with current kernels, several older drivers only work with .28 kernel on some systems.

I'm not saying that they are fast to maintain the older drivers, goes simply by supply and demand for the need of new drivers. The older the tree, the slower it will have releases for it but they are by no means abandoned.

[deanjo]

Keep in mind that the latest drivers (195 series) support cards that are now 6 years old.

[Kano]

You can be sure i know many people with lots of differnet cards. If something is for legacy drivers it is not that good maintained anymore. Ok, GF 6 still work with latest, but with GF 5 begin the problems. Often because of AGP problems - it is just a matter of time when all AGP cards are legacy.

[pingufunkybeat]

I wasn't aware that there were actual bugfixes (as opposed to installer script updates) going on, I'm actually surprised.

But you have to agree that the bug fixing in older drivers is minimal.

It's better binary support for legacy cards than what fglrx gives, I'll agree to that.

[deanjo]

I wasn't aware that there were actual bugfixes (as opposed to installer script updates) going on, I'm actually surprised.

But you have to agree that the bug fixing in older drivers is minimal.

It's better binary support for legacy cards than what fglrx gives, I'll agree to that.

I agree that the older legacy drivers are not updated as much as the current drivers but the current driver (195 series) set also covers probably ~95% of their cards that are currently in use. Again supply vs demand.

[V!NCENT]

Well one has to keep the current software and hardware landscape in mind.

If a card get so old the performance is equal or below the standard IGP's that motherboards come with you have to ask yourself if it still adds anything.

For example the latest IGPs can all run Quake 3 perfectly, so what's the use of a GeForce 4200? Hell my motherboard came with an onboard HD 3300 Radeon. Like... FFS!

Ask yourself this: Shouldn't one upgrade his computer each 6 years? Most laptops won't even last longer than 3 years, let alone longer than 6 years!

And c'mon... You buy new cloths at least every 3 years... right? So upgrading a computer each 6 years costs one 500 dollars/6 years = 83,33 dollars.

For that money you get a Dell with a 18,5" HD widescreen flatscreen, a tiny energy efficient dektop rig with:
-Pentium Dual Core E5400 (2,7gHz, 800FSB, 2MB cache)
-2GB RAM
-320GB Sata HDD @ 7.200 RPM)
-16x DVD+/-RW driver
-Intel X4500
-7.1 serround sound card

I mean... What the hell? A GeForce 4200 at least needs a new fan because after a year or 3-5 they all stop working.

[Kano]

There are lots of users with AGP systems, when the vga card dies you have got not so many choices for a cheap replacement. GF6 is already often high priced already because relatively rare.

[deanjo]

There are lots of users with AGP systems, when the vga card dies you have got not so many choices for a cheap replacement. GF6 is already often high priced already because relatively rare.

BTW what issues are you encountering AGP cards Kano? I've got three systems yet with GF 6 and 7 agps and they are working fine.