Re: OpenGL-based framebuffer concepts

["Ian Kester-Haney" <ikesterhaney@gmail.com>]

Good Day,

I think this debate boils down ti a few issues that could be easily resolved.
 As far as I can tell, the OpenGL Framebuffer is for an accelerated
console in 2D
 While expecting Intel, ATI and Nvidia to cough up specs for their
cards, a simpler
   implementation of OpenGL for the console could be offered up.
 The existing system works well for most people and a newer system could either
   tranisition from the base or take over if the installer or distro
supports it.
 I don't see the hardware folks releasing all the details, but I can
see them releasing a
   mini-GL driver ala the quake era in LGPL or other comparable liscense.
 It just seems that those of us with Expensive GPUs should be able to
get a better
   console experience.
 I think a main goal would be to allow the existing code to
gracefully release the hardware
   for a different driver to take over, be it a Xorg driver, a GLX
driver, an Open Source driver or
   a binary driver that 'taints' the kernel.  I want X to release to
the console in some cases
   and I want the consoles basic driver to release to the Xorg driver.
Most 'power users' run the binary drivers just fine.

I hope it makes sense to you guys.  I love Linux and want it to get better.
Just as the static /dev gave way to udev, the basic console should
make/prepare the way
   for an accelerated console that uses newer and more powerful
grapics cards to better
   use.

Thank You for reading.
Regards,
          Ian

On 5/30/06, Jon Smirl <jonsmirl@gmail.com> wrote:
> On 5/30/06, Pavel Machek <pavel@ucw.cz> wrote:
> > Hi!
> >
> > > >No, to the contrary. suspend/resume can't ever work properly with
> > > >vgacon and vesafb. It works okay with radeonfb tooday, and in fact
> > > >radeonfb is neccessary today for saving power over S3.
> > >
> > > But the things is today for many users suspend/resume to RAM works for
> > > people running X drivers, I know on my laptop that my radeon
> > > suspends/resumes fine when running vgacon/DRM/accelerated X, it
> > > doesn't suspend/resume at all well when running vgacon on its own of
> > > course. or with radeonfb for that matter. so I still believe the
> > > suspend/resume code for a card can live in userspace if necessary but
> > > it just shouldn't be part of X... it needs to be part of another
> > > graphics controller process.
> >
> > So we are mostly in agreement. I'd prefer to have suspend/resume code
> > in kernel in cases it is simple... but separate userspace process is
> > better than having it in X.
>
> Don't draw any conclusions from saying that suspend/resume works in X
> and doesn't work on xx_fb. What matters is that a set of code that can
> perform suspend/resumes exists at all. Once a coherent driver model is
> designed the relevant code can be moved to the correct place.
>
> Another reason for moving things like this out of X is to allow the
> implementation of alternative graphics systems. It makes no sense that
> every new graphics system has to develop their own video and keyboard
> drivers. ALSA is a good model for this, it is shared by everyone.
> Imagine what things would be like if X built in drivers for every
> sound card,.
>
> --
> Jon Smirl
> jonsmirl@gmail.com
> -
> To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
> the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org
> More majordomo info at  http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
> Please read the FAQ at  http://www.tux.org/lkml/
-
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org
More majordomo info at  http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
Please read the FAQ at  http://www.tux.org/lkml/