On Fri, Oct 12, 2012 at 1:16 PM, Gary Dale <garyd...@rogers.com> wrote:
> The open source drivers work better (in terms of integration with the X > server) because the maintainers can adjust them to the latest changes in X > and other graphic software. Unfortunately due to the problems noted above, > they can't keep up with the proprietary drivers in terms of performance with > the latest cards. > > It's possible this situation may change in the future for two reasons. One > is that AMD is trying to open more of its source. The other is that the > superior open source development model may eventually lead to drivers that > are superior to the closed source ones providing that the licences follow > the GPL which would prevent them from being included in proprietary > software. > One thing I'll never understand about graphics drivers in general and this ATI driver in particular is why they insist on having a single driver for the whole range of cards. This really bit me hard with the Intel driver a few years ago when kernel mode-setting came in and my chip couldn't handle it. Why didn't the X developers, Intel and, in this case the ATI/AMD developers keep a driver for the older cards, even if they never add a single new feature to it, and code a new driver for the newer cards. That way the new cards get what they need, and the old cards continue to run. I could half understand why my 10-year-old Intel chip was being thrown under the bus, but a two-year old ATI chip getting the same treatment? It's awful. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/caldrw3nyhu216bo8v1+kru8x51bpgeg0f+mx8r5b091zal2...@mail.gmail.com
