The Updated XGI Open-Source Graphics Driver Released

Even the nearly-defunct XGI Technology Inc is able to produce open-source graphics driver code for Linux while VIA continues on with their Linux mess, even with XGI developers working from Windows. In preparations for the X.Org 7.6 Katamari and this month's release of X Server 1.9, a new release of the XGI DDX driver has been made available.

Red Hat's Adam Jackson has tagged the xf86-video-xgi 1.6.0 release today along with a horde of other katamari packages and those needing updates anyways for xorg-server 1.9 compatibility. Besides a bunch of configure/build fixes, there is lots of work contributed by XGI Technology into this XGI 1.6 driver release.

Among the new features introduced in this driver update are support for the ARM architecture, EXA 2D acceleration support, I2C EDID, support for custom modes, and quite a number of bug-fixes. The ARM support and other improvements is coming after XGI recently inked a deal with Marvell (press release) to use the Volari Z11 in ARM-based systems using the Kirkwood platform. The Marvell Kirkwood with XGI Volari Z11 is targeted for industrial computing, thin-clients, point-of-sale terminals, and kiosks.

The xf86-video-xgi 1.6.0 driver release announcement can be read on the mailing list. This XGI DDX driver supports the following PCI and AGP hardware: XGI5597/5598, XGI530/620, XGI6326/AGP/DVD, XGI300/305, XGI540, XGI630/730, XGI315/H/PRO, XGI550/551/552, XGI650/651/M650/661FX/M661FX/M661MX/740/741, XGI330 (Xabre), and XGI760.

Other X.Org packages updated today include glproto 1.4.12, kbproto 1.0.5, renderproto 0.11.1, videoproto 2.3.1, xproto 7.0.18, xextproto 7.1.2, xf86-input-aiptek 1.3.1, xf86-input-vmmouse 12.6.10, xf86-video-ast 0.91.10, xf86-video-i128 1.3.4, xf86-video-mga 1.4.13, xf86-video-vmware 11.0.2, and xf86-video-xgixp 1.8.0.