AMD Dropping R300-R500 Support In Catalyst Driver

[Stormking]

More seriously, if you are interested in Linux and open source, then you should buy your hardware thinking about using it with open source drivers. Otherwise, there's really no point, you could use Windows with the same open source applications that you use on Linux.

I've heart rumors about people who use Linux because they actually like it (or, less specific, Unix), not because of a particular application or because it's open source.

[Melcar]

Third party vendors often act independently to AMD official policy when it comes to GPUs and drivers.

[lykowdk]

Someone may wish to explain to AMD that x1000 is not a legacy architecture. Products are being released with this tech "today"

New HP product, just launched. By AMD's definition it's legacy before hitting the store shelves.

http://geizhals.at/at/a408280.html

Frank

The X1250 is an RS690 chipset.. The article mentions it, but it is ambiguous about its future. I am going to assume that the RS690 will still be supported since AMD has been pushing it as their embedded solution. ( I received a mailer about the Sempron 200/210u with a 690 yesterday. )

[drag]

And linux? Well - the opensource activities happened for a reason. You want better opensource drivers? Then sit down on your ass and start coding.

Actually I would not think it's coding what is needed (well that is needed, but end users can't typically code). Anyways most people do not have the ability to do that.

What is needed from most people is going to be feedback.

For example:

Say you have a video card that freezes when you try to do 3D. Who is going to help you fix it if you sit on your hands and don't file reports or do anything about it?

NOBODY.

NOBODY IS GOING TO FIX ANYTHING IF THEY ARE UNAWARE OF IT.


---------------------------------


What is needed is the ability for people to run lots of tests on different hardware with the same exact software setup. So that developers can know easier which hardware is the problem and stuff like that.

They don't even need to be particularly good bug reports. Numbers make up for it.

So say you get 300 bug reports from different people. They are shitty bug reports, but you know the user and the hardware. Well if 200 of those people are having problems with the same chipset on their cards... then that helps to narrow down the problem significantly, right?


SOOOOO.....

What I am getting at is this:

Is there any Live Linux distribution out there right now for testing video hardware?

I want a Live Linux cdrom that is built with the latest and greatest open source drivers and comes with a bunch of benchmarking and hardware testing tools installed. So that a individual can download the image, drop it on a USB key or on a CDROM and then just engage in a bunch of testing.

Something quick and easy that does not require a bunch of Linux skills or require installing software over a existing system. Something even a typical Windows user can handle.


If that does not exist then I want to make one. I want to take Phoronix's benchmark tools and make a live CD/USB Key with the latest and greatest X Windows and OpenGL drivers.

[energyman]

Stormking - you want drivers? Great - sit down and start coding! The documentation is there. AMD/ATI put everything on the table you need to improve the FOSS drivers. I am expecting you sending patches upstream soon.

@the rest of the whiners. You act like AMD is activating a secret switch that will turn off your cards at the first of may. Nobody forces you to upgrade to a new X. And new kernel support can be patched it. Oh - and 2.6.27? It is planned to make it a long time supported kernel (maybe 2.6.28 too because of ext4) so you will have bug fixes for a loooong time. Just look at 2.6.16 how long that beast stayed around. All you loose is the ability to use the latest X with fglrx. So what? Instead of whining like little girls you should man up. For years people rambled that amd should just release docs, the community would do the rest, fglrx not needed after that. So you have the docs. Now stand by your words.

[bulletxt]

Ok, now I can finally say goodbye to AMD after this move.

Not only NVIDIA beats you 100 times, they even keep a legacy driver updated. This is enough. I'm sick of AMD and their shit.

If you use Linux, use NVIDIA cards.
I'm already putting my ATI 2600XT card on ebay even though AMD Catalyst shit driver supports it. I have enough of this cause I even own a 9600XT card. You wanna fool me? Fine, I won't give you my money anymore.

[Melcar]

Actually I would not think it's coding what is needed (well that is needed, but end users can't typically code). Anyways most people do not have the ability to do that.

What is needed from most people is going to be feedback.

For example:

Say you have a video card that freezes when you try to do 3D. Who is going to help you fix it if you sit on your hands and don't file reports or do anything about it?

NOBODY.

NOBODY IS GOING TO FIX ANYTHING IF THEY ARE UNAWARE OF IT.


---------------------------------


What is needed is the ability for people to run lots of tests on different hardware with the same exact software setup. So that developers can know easier which hardware is the problem and stuff like that.

They don't even need to be particularly good bug reports. Numbers make up for it.

So say you get 300 bug reports from different people. They are shitty bug reports, but you know the user and the hardware. Well if 200 of those people are having problems with the same chipset on their cards... then that helps to narrow down the problem significantly, right?


SOOOOO.....

What I am getting at is this:

Is there any Live Linux distribution out there right now for testing video hardware?

I want a Live Linux cdrom that is built with the latest and greatest open source drivers and comes with a bunch of benchmarking and hardware testing tools installed. So that a individual can download the image, drop it on a USB key or on a CDROM and then just engage in a bunch of testing.

Something quick and easy that does not require a bunch of Linux skills or require installing software over a existing system. Something even a typical Windows user can handle.


If that does not exist then I want to make one. I want to take Phoronix's benchmark tools and make a live CD/USB Key with the latest and greatest X Windows and OpenGL drivers.

That wouldn't be a bad idea. I'm all for testing drivers (which I already do), but having to build them in order to run the latest code can be a pain. If users can get a hold of a small image that is constantly updated with the major changes in open source drivers, I think it would provide greater incentive for people to become sort of beta testers for the drivers. After all, people want functional drivers (I would hope).

[energyman]

Ok, now I can finally say goodbye to AMD after this move.

Not only NVIDIA beats you 100 times, they even keep a legacy driver updated. This is enough. I'm sick of AMD and their shit.

If you use Linux, use NVIDIA cards.
I'm already putting my ATI 2600XT card on ebay even though AMD Catalyst shit driver supports it. I have enough of this cause I even own a 9600XT card. You wanna fool me? Fine, I won't give you my money anymore.

good bye and good luck. You will be angry again when others enjoy kms and you are stuck with nvidia.

[Saist]

good bye and good luck. You will be angry again when others enjoy kms and you are stuck with nvidia.

nah. He'll be angry when he finds out that Nvidia's drivers have more bugs than a Louisiana swamp.

[SyXbiT]

the decision is obvious
if you want to HOPE for a future of better drivers, improved FOSS, then buy ATI

if you just want stuff to work NOW, buy nvidia

I know what I want, and it's in the present.

seriously, who cares about KMS, it happens on bootup, that's it