AMD's Hiring Open-Source Graphics Developers Still

[89c51]

Yep. We hired two developers in 2007/2008 but Richard transferred to another group recently. We have hired a replacement for Richard but he hasn't started yet. We have also hired a third developer to focus more on embedded priorities but he hasn't started yet either.

We are now looking for one more developer for a total of four (plus some of my time for better or worse )...

what are you waiting for mr bridgman

get your whip out and get them started asap

on a serious note i want to ask if there are any agreements with Ms or Apple that prohibit open sourcing drivers used for mac os x and win (apart from licensed and DRM stuff).

ie lets say a new company appears and wants to use g3d across all OSs will it be able to do it or there will be trouble with something like that.

[stalkerg]

Why?

Why not in Moscow? It was my dream - to develop an open 3D drivers. I'm sad!

[bridgman]

what are you waiting for mr bridgman

get your whip out and get them started asap

The problem with hiring experienced people is that they are already doing something important that needs to be finished or handed off smoothly before they leave. At least we don't have to wait for them to finish their thesis and graduate

on a serious note i want to ask if there are any agreements with Ms or Apple that prohibit open sourcing drivers used for mac os x and win (apart from licensed and DRM stuff).

ie lets say a new company appears and wants to use g3d across all OSs will it be able to do it or there will be trouble with something like that.

There is no general prohibition as far as I know, just (a) you need to protected licensed code (which can be pretty pervasive) and (b) you need to maintain robust DRM which often means protecting non-obvious things like memory management.

Building and shipping fully functional Windows drivers over Gallium3D should be possible, but you would probably have to ship in binary form. If you omit DRM support then it gets a lot easier.

[V!NCENT]

It is the ultimate geek job, because it touches:
-Math
-OS kernel
-Compiler design
-Graphics
-Exotic execution unit
-Audio (that sound card for HDMI)
-Etc. ...

Especialy late work times given the time zone in the EU, meaning not having to get up early and sleep early...

I'm jealous of the people who get these jobs ,

[monraaf]

With this crazy hardware that's so easy to lock up and lacking any form of proper recovery mechanism this sounds more like a headache job to me.

[bridgman]

It is the ultimate geek job

this sounds more like a headache job to me.

It's both

[Blacksmith]

With this crazy hardware that's so easy to lock up and lacking any form of proper recovery mechanism this sounds more like a headache job to me.

Yyyyyeeeessssss................ but.........

I do not know what other peoples thoughts are but I find it is the challenge that makes the task. You also need great determination and much patience as some bugs (most?) can be a REAL bear to find.

Also there is little better on this planet than designing something and then getting it to work. Something that is more difficult than most people think.

Blacksmith

[DaemonFC]

The problem with hiring experienced people is that they are already doing something important that needs to be finished or handed off smoothly before they leave. At least we don't have to wait for them to finish their thesis and graduate



There is no general prohibition as far as I know, just (a) you need to protected licensed code (which can be pretty pervasive) and (b) you need to maintain robust DRM which often means protecting non-obvious things like memory management.

Building and shipping fully functional Windows drivers over Gallium3D should be possible, but you would probably have to ship in binary form. If you omit DRM support then it gets a lot easier.

I don't think you can make an argument that anyone needs DRM or that it actually works. If you need to corrupt the legal system in order to protect the DRM that supposedly protects (but technically doesn't) your content,you've already lost. (I wish I could buy some Senators to impose my will on everybody via fiat law). *grin*

The best way to deal with DRM is to not buy anything that uses it. Of course Not buying or using is the same as piracy now apparently.

No matter how "effective" AMD's (or anyone's) DRM is, there's always someone smarter who will break it. Keep perverting our system of law and wasting transistors on my graphics card I guess. :P

[DaemonFC]

Oh yeah. Why would anyone want to use Gallium3d on Microsoft Vistaware? The entire system is a black box that treats the user like a criminal. Telling a Windows user that AMD Catalyst is crap and not to be trusted would be like telling an AIDS patient they need to worry about dandruff.

[curaga]

Oh yeah. Why would anyone want to use Gallium3d on Microsoft Vistaware?

There was a very good reason to port linux drivers to windows with the Voodoo 3 (I think it was that card). No official support anymore, and they were more stable and faster