[Discuss] Thinkpad T60p and Kubuntu

[Alan W. Irwin]

On 2007-10-12 14:57-0700 Chris Hennessy wrote:

> In particular I am concerned with the ATI FireGL graphics
>
>
> I run Mandriva 2007.1 (upgrading to 2008 soon) and I have (when it gets back
> from RMA) an ATI card.  If you don't want to do much 3d games then you
> should be fine with either of the drivers.  If you want to do 3D then things
> will most likely be a huge PITA until the next version of the fglrx
> proprietary drivers that are due anyday now.  The good thing is most of the
> specs are open now and if things are mostly supported now, they will be
> soon.   (crossing fingers)

I have just researched ATI 3D capability, and apparently the r200 series has
had open 2D/3D specs for a long time now with a corresponding x.org device,
and the r500 series and up have open 2D specs (just released with an
experimental x.org 2D devie) and a promise of complete 3D specs soon.  It is
unlikely ATI are going to bother with releasing specs for the older r300 and
r400 series because they are in the business of selling new stuff. So if you
don't like binary blob X.org devices, you should avoid ATI r300 and r400
series video chipsets, and your best current 3D ATI choice is an r200-based
chipset (they still sell them).  Also, an r500 or higher based video chipset
might be a good 3D bet for the future.

If you look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATI_FireGL and hover over the
links, most of those cards lie in the proprietary valley of death between
the r200 and r500 so watch out.

Alan
__________________________
Alan W. Irwin

Astronomical research affiliation with Department of Physics and Astronomy,
University of Victoria (astrowww.phys.uvic.ca).

Programming affiliations with the FreeEOS equation-of-state implementation
for stellar interiors (freeeos.sf.net); PLplot scientific plotting software
package (plplot.org); the libLASi project (unifont.org/lasi); the Loads of
Linux Links project (loll.sf.net); and the Linux Brochure Project
(lbproject.sf.net).
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