Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2000 16:05:59 +0200 (CEST) From: Marc van Woerkom <marc.vanwoerkom@science-factory.com> To: cokane@one.net Cc: tpnelson@echidna.stu.cowan.edu.au, rooneg@rpi.edu, peter@netplex.com.au, nimrodm@email.com, hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Linux NVIDIA drivers vs. default XFree86 drivers (WAS: RE: Video card support) Message-ID: <20000731140559.72AE52006@nil.science-factory.com> In-Reply-To: <20000731031108.A28185@cokane.yi.org> (message from Coleman Kane on Mon, 31 Jul 2000 03:11:08 -0400) References: <Pine.A41.3.96.1000730013029.154958A-100000@cortez.sss.rpi.edu> <3983CB07.9436BB0C@echidna.stu.cowan.edu.au> <20000731031108.A28185@cokane.yi.org>
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> I would guess that if they have managed to abstract their NT source to the point > where a simple wrapper can turn it into a linux kmod, then it is quite possible > that it may be able to be ported to FreeBSD. The only other thing is whether > their X Server could be ported in such a way (is it a binary only X-Server as > well? or do they use the r128 driver supplied?). I suppose that one could always > run XFree86 in linux emulation...if possible. Not a Linux kmod, their idea was to use the new general binary loader introduced in XFree86 4.x - unfortunately it is full of calls to the (open sourced) Linux module they ship. An ideal general x86 XFree86 4.x driver should just use general wrappers provided by the XFree86 server for OS specific tasks. > > NVIDIA's stand on Open Source can only get better. Unless they're > > *really* stupid. > > > > Well, so far they haven't shown this. Since their itroduction of <quote>open > source drivers</quote> they have retracted the openness of their drivers to the > point that they are simply a binary with the necessary source to link them to a > module. One of the reasons given by n-vidia is that certain code is 3rd party (AGP stuff?) and can't be open sourced. Another reason might be that actually only few people are able to make significant contributions to low level driver work. Looking at the makings of the Matrox Utah glx module, where John Carmack did a lot of tweaking, plus two or three people who work full time in that area. That's definitely not hordes of open source hackers who thirst for improving matters. > FWIW: I have a roommate who has been having severe stability issues with > NVidia's binary drivers under Debian GNU/Linux 2.1. He has decided to > switch back to the XFree86 supplied drivers that have lower performance > to stop X from crashing so much. You can't even debug them because the > symbols have been stripped out. Too bad. Since a couple of days I finally have a decent development box with Linux, FreeBSD and a GeForce installed. I hope to get further now with that stuff. Regards, Marc To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-hackers" in the body of the message
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