Terry Makedon (AMD/ATI): "We can't open our drivers"

[yoshi314]

getting a fglrx kernel module is not a big problem, but making the xorg part to work is sometimes tricky :]

so i can partially agree with that.

btw i just found something that resembles the post of one proprietary driver ex-developer i mentioned. (although that's not the one i was looking for)

http://ajaxxx.livejournal.com/53522.html?thread=133650#t133650

[niniendowarrior]

To be frank, the fglrx drivers, nowadays, are not harder to install and get working than the nvidia drivers.

Yeah, sure. I can agree to this on one thing. ATi can automate the installation. Working is a totally different matter.

[Synergy6]

Neither have opened their drivers, true. But NVidia do have far better driver support, even though it is in a closed binary. Black, but less black than AMD.

[glussier]

To be frank, the fglrx drivers, nowadays, are not harder to install and get working than the nvidia drivers.

As for Open source drivers, I do not care all that much about that, as long as the drivers are working properly with up to par performance.

As long as I can remember, the original Radeon, Radeon SE, Rage 128 and even the mach32 and 64, I always managed to get the ati cards to work correctly and with good performance in linux.

Like it is now, it is cheaper to get an nvidia card than an ATI card for the same level of performance in linux. I am tired of funding a company, ehich doesn't care all that much about it's linux users, for the sole reason that this company is Canadian like I am, which btw is not the case anymore. Now I want to support companies which really support linux, nvidia for their good linux support and Intel for their open source drivers and their excellent programming tools (compiles, profilers, optimizers and debugging tools).

[Michael]

If I might make a comment here. I see a lot of people hammering on ATi for not opening their drivers...

so, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Nvidia-GLX proprietary as well? I've seen a lot of comments about people "converting" from ATi to Nvidia.

Isn't that just changing the pot for the kettle? Are not both black?

Maybe I'm just wrong about this, but before anybody go slamming on ATi for not open sourcing the drivers, shouldn't Nvidia also be targeted in the same breath or post?

Yes, NVIDIA's are binary blobs as well. However, many people end up converting from ATI -> NVIDIA due to the slower performance of the fglrx drivers, installation problems, etc..

[Saist]

If I might make a comment here. I see a lot of people hammering on ATi for not opening their drivers...

so, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Nvidia-GLX proprietary as well? I've seen a lot of comments about people "converting" from ATi to Nvidia.

Isn't that just changing the pot for the kettle? Are not both black?

Maybe I'm just wrong about this, but before anybody go slamming on ATi for not open sourcing the drivers, shouldn't Nvidia also be targeted in the same breath or post?

[Synergy6]

you should instead demand your money back, as an unsatisfied customer. if more ati-to-nvidia converts would do that, things might have been different.

And, considering the box probably states "For use with Windows PCs" or something similar, they'll just laugh you out the door.

[glussier]

that way you lose. you paid ati, now you're going to pay nvidia/intel.

And, what's the problem about paying Intel? I already do, so not much will change in my computing habits.

Eight now, if I need 3d opengl performance, I definetly won't buy an ATI card, complain that it doesn't perform and hope that, eventually ATI will improve it's drivers performance. If I need performance now, and don't use windows, I'll go the nvidia way.

[yoshi314]

If it takes too long doing that, then I might be forced to move to Nvidia or Intel.

that way you lose. you paid ati, now you're going to pay nvidia/intel.

you should instead demand your money back, as an unsatisfied customer. if more ati-to-nvidia converts would do that, things might have been different.

[glussier]

It's nothing new, for years ATI has been saying that there was proprietary technology that couldn't be open in the fglrx drivers. So, my thougt is that you might ask for opening their drivers all you want, but this is a lost case.

Anyway, I don't care if the drivers are open source or not, I only want them to work properly, which they actually do for me. If AMD/ATI adds the composite extension, I will be happy. If it takes too long doing that, then I might be forced to move to Nvidia or Intel.