SciTech Software is preparing to release the first version of SciTech SNAP Graphics for Linux to outside beta testers over the coming weeks. If you have an interest and XFree86 based display drivers for your Linux platform and are willing to test out new technology, we would love for you to join our growing Linux beta program! Read more for the rest of the announcement.To sign up for the Linux beta program, please visit the following URL and subscribe to the mailing list:
http://list.scitechsoft.com/mailman/listinfo/announce.snap.linux
Note: We will only be beta testing the x86 versions of SciTech SNAP Graphics for Linux. Versions for the PowerPC and Alpha platforms are currently under development for release at a future date.
About SciTech SNAP Graphics for Linux
SciTech SNAP Graphics for Linux takes graphics device control to the next level with increased functionality and support for even more graphics chips! SciTech SNAP Graphics delivers rock solid performance and stability while increasing overall device flexibility and available features.
SciTech SNAP Graphics gives you true plug and play support that automatically adjusts to changes in your hardware all without the need to update drivers. SciTech SNAP Graphics is based on the field proven SciTech Nucleus technology, so you can rest assured that with SciTech SNAP Graphics installed, graphic device support concerns will quickly become a thing of the past.
Key Features for Desktop Users:
o Fully Plug-n-Play compatible – SciTech SNAP automatically
recognizes your graphics hardware and attached monitor and
configures your system for optimal performance.
o Support for the latest graphics hardware regardless of installed
version of XFree86 or Linux distribution.
o Fully certified graphics device drivers for increased hardware
compatibility.
Key Features for Enterprise Users
o Eliminates the need to upgrade XFree86 in order to support new
graphics chipsets.
o Fully certified drivers helps to eliminate graphics related issues
and increase overall compatibility.
o A single graphics device driver can be installed across your entire
Linux based enterprise reducing support issues.
o Fully Plug-n-Play compatible – SciTech SNAP automatically
recognizes your graphics hardware and attached monitor and
configures your system for optimal performance.
For more detailed information about SciTech SNAP Graphics for Linux, please visit our web site at:
Where’s the Gentoo? Are you all uninterested in Gentoo linux drivers? I would beta-test, but I am not going to install a non-Gentoo linux. Sorry…
I’m guessing that getting it to work with Gentoo even though its not officially certified wouldnt be all that hard. I’m patiently waiting for their alpha port, nice X drivers would be really nice.
I was hoping that someone tried this on beos.
as BeOS doesn’t use XFree86, it would be quite hard for now :p
Key Features for Desktop Users:
o Fully Plug-n-Play compatible – SciTech SNAP automatically recognizes your graphics hardware and attached monitor and configures your system for optimal performance.
distribution.
o Fully certified graphics device drivers for increased hardware compatibility.
Key Features for Enterprise Users:
o Fully certified drivers helps to eliminate graphics related issues and increase overall compatibility.
o Fully Plug-n-Play compatible – SciTech SNAP automatically recognizes your graphics hardware and attached monitor and configures your system for optimal performance.
They should’ve mentioned different advantages for different users.
“as BeOS doesn’t use XFree86, it would be quite hard for now
”
Wouldn’t it be a nice thing to see in OpenBeOS, though? (not necessarily on XFree86).
what all i saw mentioned on the site was 2d … whats the status of 3d support ?
SciTech’s news page (http://www.scitechsoft.com/news/news_home.html) reports:
“November 25, 2002
SciTech Software provides the tools needed to drop X11 from Athene OS”
Conceivably, could SciTech SNAP Graphics for Linux then be used to drop X11 from Linux?
To me, it looks like snap is somewhat similar to DRI. It is a hardware abstraction layer. It wouldn’t necessarily replace X, but it would make replacing X a LOT easier. Another graphics layer such as Fresco could live on top of SNAP, alongside of X. You could even make GTK+/Gnome and QT/KDE sit directly on top of SNAP (though I doubt this would be appropriate since SNAP is probably very low level). SNAP is really interesting. It could be a real boon for alternative OSes. The main potential problem is that having this layer could cause performance problems.
Software design is based around layering and abstractions. All systems are layered architectures, even if the layers aren’t individually named and marketed. SNAP is directly analagous to the XFree86 XAA or GDI DDI layers. So, yes, in theory, an extra layer results in decreased performance, but in practice, since software developers occasionally have to kow-tow to reality, there won’t be. In fact, a well-designed abstraction layer can actually result in *increased* performance in the average case. Consider a low level API like DirectDraw (aka, the 2D D3D subset) versus a high-level Canvas like EVAS. In theory (and in practice) very well written drawing code will perform better with DirectDraw. In reality, most applications can’t afford the time to write really good drawing code, so a high level library like EVAS, which can optimize drawing requests internally, can actually result in better performance.
They have OS/2 supported, it doesn’t use xfree. I don’t think this is the best choice but they can offer drivers for platforms faster than each could develop one. They had the display doctor and know alot about vesa 2.0 and 3.0 I suspect. I think they even had windows supported.
SciTech will only do such a job, if someone pays them to do it, for small OSes. They get paid to do it for OS/2 for example,
so in order to do it for BeOS, they will need YellowTAB to pay them. And YTab doesn’t have that kind of money. So, unless Zeta gets REALLY big or YTAB pays them, don’t expect any drivers from them.
Also, no matter what, they will need CO-Operation with YTAB because the BeOS documentation on writting drivers under beos is not clear enough, neither complete. Not for all the things scitech would want to do (e.g. overlays) are documented. They will need help to do that kind of stuff, from the OS manufacturer. And there is no Be anymore, and Palm doesn’t care. So that would only leave YTAB to help them.