Re: [RFC] Small PCI core patch

Avi Kivity
2005-11-22T17:11:18Z

Jeff Garzik wrote:

>
>
>>However the situation with video drivers is already bad, and
>>deteriorating. I had to hunt on the Internet to get my recent (FC4)
>>distro to support my low-end embedded video (via). In the future it
>>looks like even that won't work.
>>
>>
>
>VIA is working with open source community. They are small enough
>(comparatively) that they need every advantage. VIA is one of the
>positive examples.
>
>
>
I'm aware of that. But look at the trouble we have even with the
cooperative vendors. I'm sure they had a Windows driver from day zero.

>
>
>>>Dumb with a capital 'D'.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>I hope you have a better solution.
>>
>>
>
>Almost all of the solutions listed in this thread are better:
>Chinese wall rev-eng,
>
As others pointed out, rev-eng of programmable 3D hardware will be
difficult. There will be a perpetual (and long) lag between the
introduction of hardware and Linux support. The effort has to repeat for
new revisions of the hardware. And a rev-eng driver can still not be
trusted: who knows whether the register you just wrote into doesn't have
some subtle side-effect.

> funding, ...
>
>
I want some too.

I don't think Windows drivers are the best, or even a good solution. But
that may be the only realistic one. And I believe quite doable.