Re: Closed source userspace graphics drivers with an open source kernel component

Piotr Gluszenia Slawinski
2010-07-02T00:21:06Z

> We are going to start to see a number of companies in the embedded
> space submitting 3D drivers for mobile devices to the kernel. I'd like
> to clarify my position once so they don't all come asking the same
> questions.

one of options for future would be equipping gpu's with additional
processing force, allowing it to run whole Xorg on it's own,
and just communicate with rest of machine via shared memory window (so
visible as 'hardware X server' from systems standpoint),

option which allows both - closing 'source' of gpu , and taking
off burden of development for closed, once-use-throwaway
devices from Xorg and kenel crew.

also port of Xorg on GPUs itself allows skipping a lot of features
of kernel, and OS itself (it doesn't to be based on linux afterall)
allowing much more robust performance, and skipping common bottlenecks
(sharing irq's , scheduling, etc)

but this route needs to be considered by hardware vendors themselves.

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