Video & Input Driver ABIs Will Change Again For X.Org Server 1.19

A few days ago the X.Org video and input driver ABI versions were bumped again following some breaks in the interface.

Due to various API changes and other work that landed a few days ago by Keith Packard, the ABI versions for the video and input drivers have been bumped.

Of course, in the open-source drivers they are already adapting to the new interface while Chris Wilson at Intel does note this ABI break doesn't make too much sense / no improvements, "ABI 22 brings in a new BlockHandler/WakeupHandler interface (SetNotifyFd) and throws out the current interface (albeit without delivering any improvements)." There have also been the changes to Nouveau and AMDGPU.

The proprietary NVIDIA Linux driver will surely be updated shortly with support for the new video driver ABI. The good news this time around from the ABI breakage is that there won't be a lengthy process to wait for in having the proprietary AMD driver support the new X.Org Server ABI. With the AMDGPU-PRO stack using the xf86-video-amdgpu DDX, there isn't the huge mess with having to wait months like in the past for Catalyst to support new X.Org Server releases.

X.Org Server 1.19 will likely be released later in the year.