Linked by Thom Holwerda on Thu 18th Oct 2012 18:15 UTC
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You aren't doing it right. Choose a desktop (such as Ubuntu) which is oriented to giving a good desktop experience to non-expert users, and you will have a good experience as a non-expert user. Choose a system which experts (suppliers) will certify runs Linux (by being prepared to sell it to you pre-installed), and you will not have to edit a single config file in a decade.
One doesn't need a closed driver for Linux for an AMD/ATI GPU.
http://www.x.org/wiki/RadeonFeature
Runs desktop software beautifully, is distributed along with the Linux kernel, requires no configuration whatsoever, works out of the box, will never be dropped (as legacy hardware) in terms of ongoing support.
http://www.x.org/wiki/RadeonFeature
Runs desktop software beautifully, is distributed along with the Linux kernel, requires no configuration whatsoever, works out of the box, will never be dropped (as legacy hardware) in terms of ongoing support.
Which juvenile downvoted these? They are both perfectly factual and on-topic.
Edited 2012-10-22 00:11 UTC
It depends on the generation of the GPU though. My desktop's PCIe HD 6570 runs much faster and smoother with the closed driver than the open one, and it's stable as well. It installs easily on both Slackware and Kubuntu. On the other hand, the computer's onboard X1150 GPU only works with the legacy open Radeon driver, and isn't too stable at that.
It depends on the generation of the GPU though. My desktop's PCIe HD 6570 runs much faster and smoother with the closed driver than the open one, and it's stable as well. It installs easily on both Slackware and Kubuntu. On the other hand, the computer's onboard X1150 GPU only works with the legacy open Radeon driver, and isn't too stable at that.
With some programs/desktops it is the open source radeon driver that runs much faster and smoother.
However, where there is a problem, it is only for the open source driver that FOSS developers can do anything about it. For the closed driver (which comes from Windows and is embedded in a translation wrapper for use on Linux) ... the attitude would be "meh, it works on Windows, will not fix".
Also, in terms of improving and upgrading the Linux graphics stack (for example, for things like KMS and Wayland) ... new directions and improvements in the stack can only be embarked upon if the drivers are open. Closed drivers force the status quo, and they will stagnate the Linux graphics stack and will frustrate attempts at improving it.





Member since:
2007-02-17
Lenovo is nearly as good in my experience, where even an AMD based laptop can be 100% compatible, with the only closed driver belonging to the GPU.
One doesn't need a closed driver for Linux for an AMD/ATI GPU.
http://www.x.org/wiki/RadeonFeature
Runs desktop software beautifully, is distributed along with the Linux kernel, requires no configuration whatsoever, works out of the box, will never be dropped (as legacy hardware) in terms of ongoing support.