AMD/RTG Announces GPUOpen For Offering More Open-Source Code

[phoronix]

Phoronix: AMD/RTG Announces GPUOpen For Offering More Open-Source Code

AMD this morning is lifting an embargo on GPUOpen, a new effort for embracing open-source with their Linux drivers...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=AMD-GPUOpen

[d2kx]

The German ComputerBase has a great write-up if you speak the language:

http://www.computerbase.de/2015-12/amd-gpuopen-direkte-kontrolle-der-radeon-hardware-fuer-spieleentwickler/

Anandtech has their article ready aswell:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/9853/amd-gpuopen-linux-open-source

Pretty amazing stuff. Basically, AMD opens up their GCN GPUs completely.

[Daktyl198]

Is this hardware-related software/specs only? Is it also related to AMD's previous idea of wanting to release FOSS versions of code/libraries like TressFX for anybody to use?

[juno]

Is this hardware-related software/specs only? Is it also related to AMD's previous idea of wanting to release FOSS versions of code/libraries like TressFX for anybody to use?

TressFX and other approaches are included (d3d11 only initially) in this initiative. This point should be seen similar to Nvidia's GameWorks, but open source.

edit: look for the anandtech article linked above. one slide states the 'effects' TressFX, GeometryFX, AOFX (ambient occlusion) and ShadowFX.

[lockheed02]

Hardware is only as good as software can make use of it. Now this opens a lot of new opportunities! From a consumer perspective, I love this!

Lockheed

[Jumbotron]

Even though the console makers are all closed source ( Xbone 1, PS 4, and the upcoming Nintendo NX ) and have no real reason to take any improvements on their side and send them upstream, I can see the reverse happening, particularly with the Xbone where improvements due to open source development get cherry picked for addition to the consoles' AMD APU's.

[Nille_kungen]

My first thought while reading GPUOpen was that bridgman before talked about something like that the microcode blobs was needed because the drivers are open source but the GPU (hardware) is not and that it's some change to that part.
I guess my mind just went wild in conclusions before reading the article.
But as always I'm thankful for the open source commitment by AMD, always one more step at a time so i wonder what come be next and what it will look like in 5-10years.
I need to read up on this since it's obviously very interesting.

[duby229]

This is fantastic news. I'm very happy to see AMD's commitment to OSS.

On the other hand I still want to see an open source graphical configuration utility. Not display config, every desktop already has one of those, I'm talking configuration utility. I want to be able to set max core clock and max ram clock while keeping dynamic switching intact. (and I want to be able to adjust the fan speed controller, not by temps, but by power draw.) I want to be able to select from existing drirc profiles and create new ones, and no, driconf isn't good enough for that. Driconf is a UX disaster. I want to be able to toggle via some graphical means tearfree. I want to be able to override and enforce AA and AF.

etc, etc, etc.....

[Danny3]

I will switch to AMD in a hearbeat if I see more commitment to the open source driver
I want to stop using the GPUs from the green assholes

[Nille_kungen]

I will switch to AMD in a hearbeat if I see more commitment to the open source driver
I want to stop using the GPUs from the green assholes

What do you miss from AMD:s commitment?
We can always wish for more developers but i also think that an open strategy will lead to more developers.