[Gllug] Geforce2

[Vincent AE Scott]

Mike Brodbelt(mike at coruscant.demon.co.uk)@Wed, Jan 23, 2002 at 12:36:22AM +0000:
> On Tue, 2002-01-22 at 22:47, Vincent AE Scott wrote:
> > Mike Brodbelt(mike at coruscant.demon.co.uk)@Tue, Jan 22, 2002 at 09:31:23PM +0000:
> 
> > > P.S. If anyone hadn't guessed, nVidia are a pet hate of mine. If using
> > > binary only software to gain better hardware support was an acceptable
> > > compromise, I'd be running Windows. IMO, nVidia's "support" does the
> > > linux community no favours whatsoever.
> > 
> > It's not an ideal world, but i'm happy enough to be using the closed
> > source drivers, it means i can play some cool games on linux.
> 
> You need neither nVidia nor closed source drivers to do that. Q3A and
> Tribes 2 work well enough for me, as does the RTCW test, with no nVidia
> hardware in sight.

I'll take your word for it.  i used to play Q2 on a G200, nice enough.
but for optimal speed and quality, NV's wheres it's at.


 
> > be able to share my net connection out with my SO quite so easily, while
> > playing Return to catsle wolfenstein if i was running XP.  So i'm glad
> > in a way they've done something.
> 
> There are alternatives out there. I use a Matrox G400, which while long
> in the tooth these days, still gives me more than 75fps in Quake 3
> Arena, which is enough to make me happy. For faster cards, the 3D
> support for the Radeon is reportedly pretty solid in newer versions of
> X, and they're fast cards.


mmm, i have heard the radeon's are supposed to be pretty impressive. 

  
> > it's by no means ideal, and i hate having to upgrade the nVidia drivers.
> > it means all my old kernels which i no longer have the exact source too,
> > stop working with X.  leaving me with just the brand new kernel that i
> > happen to have the source for.  
> 
> Worse than that, loading the module now sets a "taint" flag in your
> kernel. Should it oops or otherwise crash, you can expect exactly no
> attention whatsoever from any of the kernel developers. The taint
> mechanism was put in place with the specific aim of making it easier to
> ignore bug reports from people with nVidia drivers loaded.


to be perfectly honest, that doesnt worry me in the slightest.  in the
10 years that i've been using linux, i dont think i've ever sent a bug
report to the LKML.  Thats partly laziness, but mostly as i cant recall
ever having a reproducable bug.  and or the knowledge and experience to
work out what it was.  


  
> > hopefully one day, when they have no competition left, they'll suddenly
> > realize that they dont have any IP left to protect.  with the demise of
> > 3dfx, i'm not too certain who they're afraid of anymore. 
> 
> Mostly ATI. In the 2D market, Matrox still produce significantly better
> cards, but the Matrox 3D support is not at the same level as nVidia (and
> Matrox are shipping a binary only HAL these days, which you need to
> access certain features of the cards, so they're fast going downhill in
> my opinion).
> 
> > But, without the closed source drivers there would be no attempt at a
> > gamers linux OS.
> 
> I still think there are anough alternatives that that is not true. If
> you want that situation of choice to persist, now is the time to vote -
> by putting your money in someone else's pocket.

Matrox, ATI and nVidia.  Thats your choices.  Unless your not being
serious, and 15 quid is all you want to spend on a card.

 
> The Radeon cards quite happily give them a run for their money, and ATI
> show a far more enlightened attitude to Linux users and open source.
> nVidia have never had any money out of me, and they're not getting any
> unless they change their attitude, so they're not a monopoly yet.

it's a good job Microsoft dont have a monopoly then!  ;-)

well, stick to your guns then.  if enough people adopt the same attitude
then maybe things will change.  I'm more of the opinion that the vast
majority vote with they're feet, whoever brings out the next greatest 3D
technology will clean up.  but as the protagonists get fewer and fewer,
there's only going to be a limmited choice in the end.


> > nVidia are 3D GFX now.  no if's buts or maybes.  we
> > are at theyre mercy, hopefully they'll eventually recognise the almost
> > monopolistic hold theyve worked so hard to attain, and show us the
> > source...
> 
> The closer they get to being a monopoly, the less chance you have of
> ever seeing source from them. When was the last time you saw open source
> from Microsoft (and no, Wince under the shared source license doesn't
> count).

ahh, but microsoft is'nt a monopoly tho.  they dont get my custom.
monopolies tend to get split up by governments, i bet wotshisname
rockerfella thought standard oil would never be split.  MS, dont have a
complete stranglehold just yet.

but i guess your right, i cant see any monopoly ever giving away the
jewels, that was a pie in the sky dream on my part.  what was a i
saying.  must think next time. EBCAK, EBCAK, EBCAK....

-v

-- 
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 Smash forehead on keyboard to continue... 


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