ati drivers half open source

Angelwinged_Devil · 09-11-2007, 09:34 AM

well here it is, finally amd spanked ati enough for them to get that they needed their drivers fixed. This is a step twards better ati drivers

.

http://www.linux.com/feature/119049

discuss

tak · 09-11-2007, 09:49 AM

FTA:
As far as the licensing is concerned, Hester says, "I think with good certainty we know that the 2-D drivers will be a combination of MIT and GPL. We haven't figured out a bunch of things on the 3-D license yet."

So the 2D part will be opensource, the 3D part probably not. As for a step towards better drivers? For the 2D part there are already open source drivers that work pretty well. Since the 3D part likely will remain closed sourced, presumably nothing much will change there. Hopefully they really will release all specs. That could finally make open source 3D drivers by the community possible. Even if they do, it will take a long time till development of the open source version reaches the level of performance the current ATI drivers deliver, if they ever do.

I'll believe better ATI drivers when i see them. The history of crap when it comes to ATI goes waaay back. Always had good hardware, always couldn't code. As long as NVIDIA cards continue to perform on an equal level, i will always buy those.

Myxir · 09-11-2007, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tak

I'll believe better ATI drivers when i see them. The history of crap when it comes to ATI goes waaay back. Always had good hardware, always couldn't code. As long as NVIDIA cards continue to perform on an equal level, i will always buy those.

There are already benchmarks for the Beta driver.
http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?pag...item=822&num=2

Angelwinged_Devil · 09-11-2007, 12:14 PM

well if some people prefer ati cards they won't be limited anymore. Nvidia drivers are open source, they realise that their drivers suck so they need to improve them to improve their marketing for real gamers (which is the true reason for why the copmuters are so good they are.) And since nvidias drivers are open source they want to try too.

Myxir · 09-11-2007, 12:16 PM

And i will prefer ati in the future, too if the driver really are that good like the test says.

tak · 09-11-2007, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Myxir

There are already benchmarks for the Beta driver.
http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?pag...item=822&num=2

The benchmark refers to the fglrx driver, whose DRI part is closed source.
Besides, it is available for quite some time already.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angelwinged_Devil

well if some people prefer ati cards they won't be limited anymore. Nvidia drivers are open source, they realise that their drivers suck so they need to improve them to improve their marketing for real gamers (which is the true reason for why the copmuters are so good they are.) And since nvidias drivers are open source they want to try too.

NVIDIA drivers, like the fglrx drivers, are not open source. They contain binary parts for the 3D rendering.

Myxir · 09-11-2007, 06:34 PM

8.41 will come tomorrow:
http://www.phoronix.com/forums/showp...4&postcount=51
I'm curious how the performance is really improved. Right now it's... hum.. not THAT good.

Well, I think the opened 2D Part of the driver is a step into the right direction.
€dit:
http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?pag...item=825&num=1
There they say that AMD thinks about improving the open source driver. If i remember right the opening of the fglrx is mentioned, too. But i don't think that fglrx will be opened. As far as I know there is "bought code" in it, so it would lead to trouble if the open it.

NightTwix · 09-11-2007, 09:21 PM

lets wait and see.

Froste · 09-12-2007, 12:10 AM

Half-open? Like... ajar? Ajar-Source?

Myxir · 09-12-2007, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NightTwix

lets wait and see.

Still waiting

09-11-2007, 09:34 AM	#1
Angelwinged_Devil Banned Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Under your skin Posts: 1337 Posts: 2,490	ati drivers half open source well here it is, finally amd spanked ati enough for them to get that they needed their drivers fixed. This is a step twards better ati drivers . http://www.linux.com/feature/119049 discuss

09-11-2007, 12:16 PM	#5
Myxir Count Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Germany Posts: 1,164	And i will prefer ati in the future, too if the driver really are that good like the test says. __________________ French Warriors of Syrtis: Nessa Telrunya (Hunter) - Myxir (Warlock) - Estra (Conjurer) In War it does not matter who is right, but who is left.

09-11-2007, 06:34 PM	#7
Myxir Count Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Germany Posts: 1,164	8.41 will come tomorrow: http://www.phoronix.com/forums/showp...4&postcount=51 I'm curious how the performance is really improved. Right now it's... hum.. not THAT good. Well, I think the opened 2D Part of the driver is a step into the right direction. €dit: http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?pag...item=825&num=1 There they say that AMD thinks about improving the open source driver. If i remember right the opening of the fglrx is mentioned, too. But i don't think that fglrx will be opened. As far as I know there is "bought code" in it, so it would lead to trouble if the open it. __________________ French Warriors of Syrtis: Nessa Telrunya (Hunter) - Myxir (Warlock) - Estra (Conjurer) In War it does not matter who is right, but who is left. Last edited by Myxir; 09-11-2007 at 06:45 PM.

09-12-2007, 12:10 AM	#9
Froste Baron Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Svea Rike Posts: 814	Half-open? Like... ajar? Ajar-Source? __________________ *Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines...*

09-11-2007, 09:49 AM	#2
tak Banned Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 309	FTA: As far as the licensing is concerned, Hester says, "I think with good certainty we know that the 2-D drivers will be a combination of MIT and GPL. We haven't figured out a bunch of things on the 3-D license yet." So the 2D part will be opensource, the 3D part probably not. As for a step towards better drivers? For the 2D part there are already open source drivers that work pretty well. Since the 3D part likely will remain closed sourced, presumably nothing much will change there. Hopefully they really will release all specs. That could finally make open source 3D drivers by the community possible. Even if they do, it will take a long time till development of the open source version reaches the level of performance the current ATI drivers deliver, if they ever do. I'll believe better ATI drivers when i see them. The history of crap when it comes to ATI goes waaay back. Always had good hardware, always couldn't code. As long as NVIDIA cards continue to perform on an equal level, i will always buy those.

09-11-2007, 12:14 PM	#4
Angelwinged_Devil Banned Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Under your skin Posts: 1337 Posts: 2,490	well if some people prefer ati cards they won't be limited anymore. Nvidia drivers are open source, they realise that their drivers suck so they need to improve them to improve their marketing for real gamers (which is the true reason for why the copmuters are so good they are.) And since nvidias drivers are open source they want to try too.

09-11-2007, 09:21 PM	#8
NightTwix Count Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Germany Posts: 1,655	lets wait and see.