To the AMD people: Money wasted.

[mirv]

The only thing I can think of is they might be using NVIDIA-specific openGL extensions, but I've always thought that most of them are standardised(so the become ARB_*) or ATI has counterparts. But anyway it's good that situation get's improved. If everyone keeps buying NVIDIA, there won't be a chance for ATI cards to be supported at all.

Sadly it's not quite as simple as using extensions specific to one manufacturer - it's a case of implementations of the standard differing. Most simple programs won't see it, but wine is quite a beast and such differences are exposed. There's also the case of the programmer sticking to the opengl specification - if you don't (and to be fair, it can sometimes be easier and/or quicker not to) then you'll program around whatever bugs exist for your own hardware+software setup - which in early days was mostly nvidia for the wine devs.
This is changing now that AMD's drivers (and here I'm only referring to the proprietary OpenGL implementation) are up to the task too. I've not used the open source drivers yet (kind of need full OpenGL 3.x and GLSL 1.4+ for what I'm up to atm).

[pingufunkybeat]

No I am not satisfied and obviously if you read anything I have posted, I do know a thing or two in Linux so yeah, I can duel boot no problem. The problem is I hate windows and the associated crap that comes with it and am able to do everything I need in Linux.

Then why do you need DirectInput, Direct3d, DirectSound, and the rest of the associated crap?

Just use the native Linux stuff. You're insisting on running half of Windows on top of your Linux. If you don't want to crap, then drop the crap, don't emulate it and blame the drivers.

[pingufunkybeat]

Sadly it's not quite as simple as using extensions specific to one manufacturer - it's a case of implementations of the standard differing. Most simple programs won't see it, but wine is quite a beast and such differences are exposed. There's also the case of the programmer sticking to the opengl specification - if you don't (and to be fair, it can sometimes be easier and/or quicker not to) then you'll program around whatever bugs exist for your own hardware+software setup - which in early days was mostly nvidia for the wine devs.
This is changing now that AMD's drivers (and here I'm only referring to the proprietary OpenGL implementation) are up to the task too. I've not used the open source drivers yet (kind of need full OpenGL 3.x and GLSL 1.4+ for what I'm up to atm).

Thank you.

This forum is full of dangerous half-knowledge. OpenGL is extremely complex, and there are many ways to implement the standard internally. Some apps are programmed in a way which depends on a specific IMPLEMENTATION, and not the standard.

[devius]

What does a normal user need a new card for other than gaming? Nothing.

How about work? There are programs that make use of 3D acceleration other than games, namely 3D modeling, CAD software, etc. Oh, and BTW, whenever you say gaming you should add "wine" before it, so to make things clear, because AFAIK native games run perfectly well with fglrx. I tried a few and had no problems so far.

[dekomote]

because AFAIK native games run perfectly well with fglrx. I tried a few and had no problems so far.

Um, no they don't. 2 days ago, i got Humble bundle, and there are artifacts in OSMOS, random lines across the screen... Same happens with Revenge of the Titans.

[eldar]

Sadly it's not quite as simple as using extensions specific to one manufacturer - it's a case of implementations of the standard differing. Most simple programs won't see it, but wine is quite a beast and such differences are exposed. There's also the case of the programmer sticking to the opengl specification - if you don't (and to be fair, it can sometimes be easier and/or quicker not to) then you'll program around whatever bugs exist for your own hardware+software setup - which in early days was mostly nvidia for the wine devs.
This is changing now that AMD's drivers (and here I'm only referring to the proprietary OpenGL implementation) are up to the task too. I've not used the open source drivers yet (kind of need full OpenGL 3.x and GLSL 1.4+ for what I'm up to atm).

Thanks, that's pretty much what I already realised that wine devs most likely had NVIDIA hardware thus the majority of testing happened on this platform. We can't assume that it'll just all start magically working on AMD right off. I'm glad it's moving on now.

[t.s.]

They could add 20 more developers and people would still complain. So why waste the money?

If I'm an nVidia 'Headlooms', then I'll cut the linux driver developer to 4! Why bother to waste money on them, right? My driver is good enough, and People still complain.

Unfortunately it's also the case of that sometimes, too many developers can be a bad thing - sometimes you need a small core group to bring cohesion to the project until it's in a more suitable state.

Yes, when there's no one to direct them (head programmer, iirc?). On professional company, they have a guidelines to write code, make a module, etc. Oh, I heard that microsoft have around 500(0)--CMIIW--people for developing windows?.

So what would you advice me towards the choice on my next GPU?

There's a bunch of threads similar to this thread. You can dig it up. But to sum it up:
- choose nVidia is you want to play game on linux, right here right now. And don't care about open source and the like stuff.
- choose AMD if you care about open source, just playing lightweight game, and doesn't mind to waith another/a couple of years ahead for driver that comparable with nVidia one.
- don't care about gaming? choose Intel one.

6xxx series isn't supported on linux for now, as others has stated.

[AdrenalineJunky]

Um, no they don't. 2 days ago, i got Humble bundle, and there are artifacts in OSMOS, random lines across the screen... Same happens with Revenge of the Titans.

strange. out of the linux games i have, all of them work fine with catalyst.

including both humble bundle game sets, everything by frictional games, and quite a few oss ones as well.

also all 3 unigine benchmarks render fine (albiet slowly... but with a 4830 thats not really that suprising.)

[t.s.]

There's a bunch of threads similar to this thread.

I mean, similar question.

[t.s.]

But anyway it's good that situation get's improved. If everyone keeps buying NVIDIA, there won't be a chance for ATI cards to be supported at all.

+1
Now, I wish AMD's more serious about their open-source driver too. Not a half-ass work like now (4 developer said it all).

If there's more man power, Bridgman and others whose do the programming will be much helped too, no?