From owner-freebsd-current@FreeBSD.ORG Sun Nov 30 03:00:13 2008 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-current@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 79BD6106564A for ; Sun, 30 Nov 2008 03:00:13 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from beech@freebsd.org) Received: from bsdevel.alaskaparadise.com (bsdevel.alaskaparadise.com [208.86.224.193]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 303E08FC14 for ; Sun, 30 Nov 2008 03:00:13 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from beech@freebsd.org) Received: from stargate.alaskaparadise.com (172-67-237-24.gci.net [24.237.67.172]) by bsdevel.alaskaparadise.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id 73FA128E289B; Sun, 30 Nov 2008 03:00:12 +0000 (UTC) From: Beech Rintoul Organization: FreeBSD To: freebsd-current@freebsd.org Date: Sat, 29 Nov 2008 18:00:11 -0900 User-Agent: KMail/1.10.1 (FreeBSD/8.0-CURRENT; KDE/4.1.1; i386; ; ) References: <20081128234155.0221e263@serene.no-ip.org> <200811291515.01962.beech@freebsd.org> In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline Message-Id: <200811291800.11902.beech@freebsd.org> Cc: Garrett Cooper , "Conrad J. Sabatier" , Alexander Churanov Subject: Re: i give up X-BeenThere: freebsd-current@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussions about the use of FreeBSD-current List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sun, 30 Nov 2008 03:00:13 -0000 On Saturday 29 November 2008 17:31:56 Garrett Cooper wrote: > On Nov 29, 2008, at 4:15 PM, Beech Rintoul wrote: > > On Saturday 29 November 2008 14:56:47 Garrett Cooper wrote: > >> On Sat, Nov 29, 2008 at 1:42 PM, Alexander Churanov > >> > >> wrote: > >>> Folks! > >>> > >>> I have some ideas on that. The problem is it's sometimes hard to > >>> check > >>> that given hardware is supported by FreeBSD, even in case you know > >>> and > >>> want to do it. The list of supported hardware is often written in > >>> terms > >>> of chipsets and manufacturers often produce cards using supported > >>> chips, > >>> but named after their own trademark. > >>> > >>> For example, at my location one of frequently sold TV card brands is > >>> "beholder". It is not in the supported hw list. However, three > >>> years ago > >>> I've installed ethernet cards named "compex" to PCs and they > >>> worked well > >>> and were detected as "realtek". Given that, should one try > >>> "beholder" tv > >>> card in the first place? > >>> > >>> The solution is to ask someone, or, better, to pay someone for > >>> providing > >>> that knowledge. Computer shops rarely indicate that hardware is > >>> compatible with FreeBSD. Whom to ask/pay? All this leads to idea of > >>> creating some organization that will sell FreeBSD compatible PCs and > >>> hardware. I'm sure, business like that can not exist , because > >>> FreeBSD > >>> userbase is not largest. But non-profit organization, would, > >>> probably. > >>> > >>> Currently I have ordinary PC and several years ago it was running > >>> Windows, now FreeBSD. Fortunately, all hardware works. Now I am > >>> thinking > >>> of buying new PC and I would pay 10% extra for a brand PC with a > >>> sticker > >>> "FreeBSD inside" or "Designed for FreeBSD". A shop like that would > >>> also > >>> sell 100%-compatible photo cams, remote control units, etc. > >>> > >>> All of these is highly hypothetical, but probably is possible. 10% > >>> is a > >>> good donation. > >>> > >>> Alexander Churanov > >> > >> There's a hardware compatibility page, but it's probably out of > >> date / > >> incorrect (I'm sure not all supported hardware is noted there -- > >> bsdstats might have more info): > >> http://www.freebsd.org/releases/index.html (look under `Hardware > >> Notes' for your given release). > >> > >> My mileage: > >> > >> - nVidia sucks for use on Unix platforms. Even under Linux I ran into > >> a bunch of issues when building my PC last year, and I've discovered > >> that if you're going to run Unix, stick to Intel chipsets. > >> - nVidia chipsets (from my PoV -- I can be swayed) offer almost zero > >> real advantage over Intel chipsets other than SLi. Then again I never > >> have and never plan on running 2+ nVidia cards at once. > >> > >> So unfortunately by purchasing nVidia hardware you're kind of > >> beckoning for problems, mostly because their datasheets and specs are > >> more closed than Intel. > > > > I just built a box and used an 8500 GT nVidia clone it's a medium > > range card > > and is fully supported by FreeBSD. > > > > Beech > > I was referring more to complete nVidia chipsets (the north > +southbridge variety), not video cards. Video cards have no real issue. > -Garrett I agree that's a completely different animal. I now tend towards MSI motherboards. I had a couple of bad experiences with ASUS and every MSI box I've built the MB is fully supported in FreeBSD. But you can never go wrong with Intel. Beech -- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Beech Rintoul - FreeBSD Developer - beech@FreeBSD.org /"\ ASCII Ribbon Campaign | FreeBSD Since 4.x \ / - NO HTML/RTF in e-mail | http://people.freebsd.org/~beech X - NO Word docs in e-mail | Skype: akbeech / \ - http://www.FreeBSD.org/releases/7.0R/announce.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------