On Friday 03 October 2003 10:31, Ben Rosenberg wrote: [stuff deleted]
Agreed, but it says nothing on the package about 3D. It says that it works. So if X starts and you can work then it does it's job. But when someone comes in here slinging that " But Microsoft works .." crap around when this isn't Windows and ATI doesn't give the same advantages to XFree86 developers that it gives to Windows developers as far as drivers and what not..then I don't want to hear it. I've helped countless people on this list over the years with no payment just the satisfaction that they got their problem solved and were happy about things. I do not care about Microsoft's malware and for her to come here to rant about Linux an say how great MS XP is..no sympathy deserved and none given. If she wanted help and just asked some questions then she would have received it without the vitriol and smart-ass remarks..at least from me.
Ben I basically agree with you. This isn't the way to get assistance. Unfortunately, some don't realize that this list is not SUSE support, I can't tell you why, but it seems to be true. I don't appreciate the list getting hit like that either. However, I have been saying for years that it would be nice when Linux got to the point that the hardware vendors realized that they needed to support Linux. I really didn't anticipate them taking the stance that the video vendors have taken. The fact that they (NVidia and ATI specifically ) produce binary only drivers means that distribution vendors (SUSE, RedHat, Mandrake, etc.) can't distribute the driver with the OS. That automatically makes installation more problematic. Admittedly, SUSE has done reasonably well in attempting to accommodate this with NVidia, but a recent upgrade to the NVidia driver shows that even the "experts" had lots of problems. Unfortunately, I don't see the hardware vendors improving too much on this. I certainly hope that Linux doesn't go closed source to accommodate this (nor do I forsee that happening). This means that the only hope of success in things like this is for the hardware vendors to work more closely with the distribution vendors on releases. This will be more M$ like in that only official releases would be truly supported and anything you do between those is at your own risk (quite like now). And for Linux to penetrate in the home market (necessary for it to become a true desktop OS), 3D will be required. The distribution vendors are sort of burying their heads in the sand about this right now, but it is important. Kids (and others) want to play games. A computer is as much a toy to most families as it is a tool and this must be supported. There have been ventures into this area, but they were premature. Loki was a good example, a great idea, but probably a little too early. Maybe someone else will venture out into that space in the future and hit gold. Until all of this happens, we will continue to hit by trolls and the unknowledgable with things like this. We might as well be prepared. Some of them can not be satisfied and some of them will vent and then become helpful people in the community. There is no good way to handle them in either case. Sorry for venturing so far into the OT area with this reply. I really didn't intend to do this, but it just seemed to flow once I started typing. Maybe it will generate useful communications somewhere that will help to resolve the issue of binary only video drivers and help us to have better support for that need. -- Kelly L. Fulks Home Account near Huntsville, AL