Mesa 21.2 Lands NVIDIA's Code For Handling Alternate GBM Backends

[Myownfriend]

This was done by an Nvidia developer, and the same one who was working on liballocator previously. From the merge request[1], it was clear that he was already testing with an Nvidia backend, so this should be released soon.

Oh I know I just waited so long for the DMA-buff support that I'm worried they'd make us wait on the GBM support lol

[shmerl]

Nvidia are trying to pretend they are still relevant for the Linux desktop. It's still good though for those who are stuck with their hardware.

[Myownfriend]

Nvidia are trying to pretend they are still relevant for the Linux desktop. It's still good though for those who are stuck with their hardware.

They very much are relevant despite their lack of openness and lack of GBM support.

Do you think everybody running Linux has built or bought their PCs around Linux? No. Some people dual-boot and a lot of people were running Nvidia cards before switching. Some probably aren't even aware of Nvidia driver issues on Linux because they just use X, play Steam games, and do some browsing. I don't love Nvidia by any means but this is obviously very good news not just for Nvidia/Linux users but Linux in general.

Besides, even if they weren't relevant, why would this be sign that they're pretending that they're relevant? Wouldn't it be them making an effort to gain relevancy? The amount of bad takes I see on these forums is ridiculous.

[d3coder]

similar to how nVidia massages around the GPL taking effect on distribution using an open-source glue stub that gets compiled on the end-user's machine.

It's not compiled on end users machine. Don't spread lies. It needs to be compiled with exact kernel in use and that's kernel limitation. Various distros provide precompiled kernel module. Nvidia's kernel module does not use GPL stuff.

[shmerl]

They very much are relevant despite their lack of openness and lack of GBM support.

If you look at the trend - they aren't relevant anymore. But it will take some time still for their share to drop to single digits percentages on Linux. I expect them to be to be used mostly by users who are coming from Windows, where Nvidia will remain common still. Which is still a valid use case, but a lingering one.

I.e. common cases will be:

* AMD / Intel.
* Nvidia (coming from Windows) → AMD / Intel on the next upgrade.

Those who are using Linux for a while already simply will have no need for Nvidia and their blob.

[CommunityMember]

And given that some of us are stuck with nvidia with no viable choice

You always have a choice (although it is a higher level choice). If an organization does not provide you the tools you wish to use and would make you more productive, ask to change, and if refused, move to a more enlightened organization.

[dpeterc]

If you look at the trend - they aren't relevant anymore. But it will take some time still for their share to drop to single digits percentages on Linux. I expect them to be to be used mostly by users who are coming from Windows, where Nvidia will remain common still. Which is still a valid use case, but a lingering one.

I.e. common cases will be:

* AMD / Intel.
* Nvidia (coming from Windows) → AMD / Intel on the next upgrade.

Those who are using Linux for a while already simply will have no need for Nvidia and their blob.

User data does not support your opinion, as Nvidia is still holds lion's share among dedicated GPU.

https://boilingsteam.com/amd-vs-nvidia-are-linux-gamers-switching-yet/

In my experience, AMD driver on Linux was always worse than the hated Nividia binary blob, which always worked for me.
I have always recommended Nvidia to my customers, and all the systems I have built included Nvidia. It just works.

[Azrael5]

It means full support for Wayland.

[CommunityMember]

Nvidia are trying to pretend they are still relevant for the Linux desktop.

And is anyone still trying to claim that the Linux desktop is a relevant market? The desktop share is minuscule, and this year will not be the year of the Linux desktop no matter how many times people say "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...". Linux's market is the server space, and where the majority of efforts are made. And while I like using a Linux desktop, I understand that that choice implies certain constraints elsewhere.

[shmerl]

User data does not support your opinion, as Nvidia is still holds lion's share among dedicated GPU.

The trend is negative for them. Nvidia lost it on the Linux desktop, there is no doubt about it:

* https://www.gamingonlinux.com/index....#GPUVendor-top
* https://www.gamingonlinux.com/users/...s#GPUModel-top

Unless of course they'll start upstreaming their driver, which I doubt will happen.

In my experience, AMD driver on Linux was always worse than the hated Nividia binary blob,

This has been wrong for years already. Nvidia blob is objectively worse now on Linux in so many ways, it's not even funny.