[Gllug] Graphics cards + open source or contributed drivers?

[Stephen Harker]

On Wednesday 12 Nov 2003 11:54 am, Tethys wrote:
> Chris Bell writes:
> >   A while ago there seemed to be some graphics cards with contributed
> >drivers which were thought to perform at least as well as, if not better
> >than, graphics cards with open source drivers. Any views on the current
> >situation please?
>
> My view is that you're best off sticking with cards with open source
> drivers. This is not just a knee jerk reaction (although it is that too),
> but also a pragmatic decision. I know far too many people that have had
> kernel stability problems with the Nvidia drivers. My advice would be
> to stick with a current gen - 1 ATI card. It'll still get you more than
> enough FPS, and is well supported by XFree86.

The only time this matters (I have found) is when you want to play Unreal 
Tournament 2003 because it uses certain extensions (proprietary I think) that 
are only available with the closed-source Nvidia drivers. They are not 
available with the open-source Nvidia, ATI etc. drivers from XFree86 as far 
as I know. I think one of the reasons Nvidia states for keeping their drivers 
closed is that they have proprietary code in them that they have licensed 
from elsewhere which forbids them opening it up. At least that's one of their 
excuses.
FWIW, I use the closed Nvidia drivers and have no stability problems at all 
(although that wasn't the case a year or so ago).

SteveH


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