Linked by Thom Holwerda on Sat 15th Aug 2009 17:55 UTC
Over the past couple of months, and especially over the past couple of weeks, I've been working very hard to write and complete my thesis. I performed all the work on Windows 7, but now that the thesis is finally done, submitted, and accepted, I installed Ubuntu - and immediately I was reminded of why I do not do any serious work on Linux: the train wreck that is X.org.
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Member since:
2006-01-10
The Open source drivers that you point to are really only part way there (as the X developers state themselves. I'm well aware there IS an open source driver, but I am also well aware that AMD/ATI only have released SOME of the specs, and mostly only for older chips)
I still maintain that this was about the CLOSED source driver. I haven't had any video issues with either, but then I only recently got the Touchsmart with a ATI 3200 HD. It mostly works. Compiz gives a white screen on the open source driver (R600/R700 is not fully supported yet)
Calling someone a whiny little child has nothing to do with MY maturity. The original article really is a bunch of "it doesn't work here!" where not that many others have issues. Seriously, I've been using Linux for 10 years, and I know where it has it's faults, but X has had huge leaps and bounds.
I agree with nVidia+Linux+HDTV is all sorts of a pain. Having bought a (cheaper) HDTV that doesn't have a 1:1 pixel ratio setting, I have some huge amounts of overscan. The only part of this though that is nVidia's fault is that they broke xvidtune a long time ago and don't support any other 'easy' method of changing resolutions. Not to mention the Windows drivers let you resize the desktop, but then don't state the proper frequencies. This again is still an nVidia driver issue, NOT X.org, which is what people are blaming this on.
By the way, nVidia also failed on some things for the Windows 7 drivers. If you click 'test' for a custom resolution, it'll complain that the resolution isn't supported, then... blank screen. No escape, or anything will change it back. Reboot? Nope, still didn't change it back. Had to go into safe mode at 640x480... yikes, that is HUGE on a 42" TV.
Let's be honest, all Operating Systems have their little issues, that's why IT and computer geeks are always in such high demand. The conspiracy theorist in me wants to say that it's made that way on purpose....
Can you imagine a day and age when the User can just think something and have it accomplished on the computer, via neural interface or whatever? No one could make any money then. Well, unless you want to wipe the bottoms of those who are stuck in a World of WarCraft 3000.
To prove that not all installs (hardware or user issues aside) are not all created equal. The reason that the Apple computers (and by extension the Amigas and Atari STs of old) were so stable is that they had ONE hardware platform that they needed drivers for, and could keep things simple. Using generic PC hardware is always a hit and miss adventure in stability / features.
With that in mind.... I've had Windows 7 BSOD on me at least 3 times (on my tablet) but I think it was due to funky drivers, mostly ones that were written for Vista, since I don't have drivers for everything for 7.
Either way, the article was nothing but mindless dribble, and really wasn't relevant. Complain to ATI/AMD for not releasing specs, or making crappy closed source drivers. Submit bug reports to both AMD/ATI and Evolution. I have submitted many bugs over the years, it's not all that difficult (even under Debian, which someone was saying that Debian should just use Launchpad, in some other comments on this page. It's really not THAT hard...)