Testing The Open-Source "RADV" Radeon Vulkan Driver vs. AMDGPU-PRO

[bridgman]

I don't think it's a "succeed" or "fail" situation... 6 months ago the Mesa driver wasn't ready to completely replace the closed source GL driver for gaming. Doesn't mean things can't change as the open source drivers improve.

We need the hybrid driver for workstation anyways (unless we can wean all the CAD ISVs off compatibility profiles), so it's not like we are wasting a lot of effort by also offering the hybrid driver for consumer use while we finish off the workstation functionality.

[bridgman]

Thanks. I don't suppose you can be a little more specific. Because some people say 2 years, but I think that's way too long. Can we expect something in ~6 months?

More like 6 months than 2 years, but can't say 6 months yet. Could be less, could be more, you know... jumping around.

[gurv]

Very nice job from the RADV team, congrats and many thanks to Dave and Bas!
I think it really illustrates why open source is the right way to go with the reusing of many existing blocks.
So thanks are also in order to all the people involved in these great open source projects used by RADV.

The open source vulkan driver is really important as it enables users to exclusively use amdgpu/radeonsi without having to switch between amdgpu/amdgpu-pro depending on game played.

I don't know about the year of Linux on the desktop, but 2017 sure is shaping to be the year of Radeon on Linux

[Amarildo]

Yes, but the dates jump around significantly as other priorities come and go, so not saying anything yet.

Thanks. I don't suppose you can be a little more specific. Because some people say 2 years, but I think that's way too long. Can we expect something in ~6 months?

[jrch2k8]

So Talos missrender... this seems works for me - as it is one driver optimized for one game

But OK, nice to see it working

Well is basically Dota2 and Talos all we have for vulkan on linux, so is hard not to optimize for one or two games literally

[bridgman]

You probably already answered this here, but does AMD have an idea of when OpenCL will be mostly open and working very close to the OpenCL present in Catalyst/AMDGPU-PRO?

Yes, but the dates jump around significantly as other priorities come and go, so not saying anything yet.

[dungeon]

So Talos missrender... this seems works for me - as it is one driver optimized for one game

But OK, nice to see it working

[Amarildo]

(whereas OpenCL is going better)

You probably already answered this here, but does AMD have an idea of when OpenCL will be mostly open and working very close to the OpenCL present in Catalyst/AMDGPU-PRO?

[bridgman]

if you will be happier by adding zero developers to radv, then sure, let them add zero developers to radv

?????

[bridgman]

Does this mean the release is just stalled but is still coming? or do you have no idea/not allowed to say?

If it were not for radv I would have said "still coming but going very slowly" (whereas OpenCL is going better). Given the progress with radv my thinking has been to change our open sourcing focus from tackling the hard parts first (rewriting the big chunks) to tackling the easy parts first in areas where they might help radv. Still under discussion.

There has been enough progress that we might be able to do something like releasing sooner but with "raw" replacement code, then improve the replacement code after release. Ask again in a week or two.