AMD opens up to Linux; Better support and open source drivers promised

Going way back to January, Andrew Dodd promised us in a conference call that Linux support would catch up to Windows support in Catalyst by the end of 2007. It'll be interesting to see if they make it. Tho I think that was mostly regarding features and interfaces/GUI. . . .and still may not be a guarantee of getting new gpus/cards into Linux drivers as fast as Windows drivers.

 

Seems they have been Beavering away on a wonder driver for Linux for over a year!
http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=821&num=1

Sample quotes from article:

improvement of the x1800 compared to the previous driver is ... wait for it .......... 50-90%!!!!!!!

 

Hope someone does a thorough review of it then, rather than the sketch on offer there. "Wonder drivers" should only be declared retrospectively, rather than anticipated.

 

Sorry, the gains in the review were not witnessed then?

 

If I can run Compiz and/or Beryl on my x1600 mobile I'll be happy.

 

Surely, having pioneered the distinction, you meant "preview" (at least as regards the driver)? My point is only that a single review of a non-public driver is a damn thin reed to lean on, and anyone who does so hasn't been around the block in this industry too many times.

And what exactly is the need to do so? Soon enuf, once it's gone public, there will be a big enough cross-section of reviewers, users and scenarios as to settle the matter.

Edit: Btw, that's not meant to be a knock on the driver. If it gets 50-90% improvements across a wide range of scenarios then it deserves the tag. Officially authorized previews of drivers to only carefully selected sites deserve, imo, to be held between thumb and forefinger at arms length until confirmed by a wider cross-section of sources with a publicly available package. YMMV.

 

The driver preview is based on the next build of Catalyst - its like the equivent some someone, under Windows, looking at a WHQL Candidate build as opposed to the same builds that has been WHQL'ed.

 

Accurate

The phoronix review is accurate. ATi is doing great stuff.

Just about anyone in the driver beta program can verify this for you.

 

Can this lead to Linux versions of OpenGL games?

 

Unlikely, unless it leads to a not-insignificant increase in Linux market share among enthusiasts--which I'm inclined to think it won't do.

 

there are allready linux versions of opengl games if you didnt know
or did you mean will it lead to more linux versions of opengl games - then i doubt it

 

There are quite a few very good OpenGL games for linux...iD engines seem to always have a linux variant and several of the UT games as well. Google it

 

Well they've definitely created a stir particularly at /.

Here's to hoping that they meet expectations.

 

Well. Like any other feature, when it gets to be less of a competitive football then ISVs are a little more likely to support it.

 

Yes, I know. There's no Linux World of Warcraft. Hence, it will not increase Linux marketshare in a meaningful way.

 

There are a non-insignificant number of people who play WoW under linux using wine. If this increases WoW opengl performance under wine it'll be a big hit for a lot of people. Especially if it brings performance anywhere close to running it using D3D under windows.

Nite_Hawk

 

At last someone's found the solution - the popularity of linux is totally dependant on warcraft

 

To make this happen someone have to extend a linux driver with a D3D friendly DDI. After this the Wine guys need to write a additional D3D runtime that make use of this additional DDI. Not impossible but I have the felling that there will be other priorities at both parties.

 

You forgot some !!!, there -> !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111 get those

QFT.

About open sourcing drivers for linux, i wonder for which models they would do so, and in case they do for real, do you guys think this might be a "bad sign" ? (less focus on graphic cards?) </Just a legitimate question, please do not kill me>.