AMD Releases Open-Source R600 & R700 3D Driver

[ExodusC]

Originally Posted by Slashdot

"AMD has just released code that will allow for open-source 3D acceleration on their ATI R600 and R700 graphics cards, including all of their newest Radeon HD 4xxx products. This code consists of a demo program that feeds the commands to the hardware, updates to their RadeonHD driver, and a Direct Rendering Manager update. With this code comes working 2D EXA acceleration support for these newer ATI graphics processors as well as basic X-Video support. AMD will be releasing sanitized documentation for these new ATI GPUs in the coming weeks. Phoronix has an article detailing what's all encompassed by today's code drop as well as the activities that led to this open-source code coming about for release."

http://linux.slashdot.org/article.pl.../12/30/0337204

I do believe 2D open source drivers have been out for a while, but with a driver for 3D acceleration under Linux, this is a huge development.

[xlink]

WIN

if it turns out to be decent I very well might be going with R800 as my next upgrade. I only upgrade parts when there's a 100% performance gain to be realized(at the $300 mark) and I do believe R800 will come close.

[Craftyman.]

I only upgrade parts when there's a 100% performance gain to be realized(at the $300 mark) and I do believe R800 will come close.

This

[Sr7]

What linux application/game could possibly use the power of current/future GPUs?

Originally Posted by xlink

WIN

if it turns out to be decent I very well might be going with R800 as my next upgrade. I only upgrade parts when there's a 100% performance gain to be realized(at the $300 mark) and I do believe R800 will come close.

Is this just blind faith, or based off something in particular?

[safan80]

ETQW has a native linux client.

[Sr7]

Originally Posted by safan80

ETQW has a native linux client.

Ya but the game already runs in the hundreds of FPS with current hardware. Isn't that and future hardware overkill?

[Lunchbox21984]

yea and the game also sucks. get something like farcry 2 or something like that

[cadaveca]

So, is Crossfire also open-source now too?

[ExodusC]

Originally Posted by Sr7

What linux application/game could possibly use the power of current/future GPUs?

Savage 2 is a great looking and very intensive game that has a Linux binary. My 4850 at 775 core would struggle when playing, sometimes.

It makes me wonder if this development will improve OpenGL support under Linux for ATI cards, as well as Wine/Cedega performance.

[naokaji]

Originally Posted by Sr7

What linux application/game could possibly use the power of current/future GPUs?

Don't know of any that are currently out that can't run on older hw, but maybe blizzard (only major game developer to regularly release mac versions along the windows one) will jump on the linux train if decent 3D drivers become avalaible for current gpu's, imagine the marketshare boost for linux if SC2 and Diablo 3 would be avalaible for it.

[tiro_uspsss]

[safan80]

Originally Posted by Sr7

Ya but the game already runs in the hundreds of FPS with current hardware. Isn't that and future hardware overkill?

no.. AA in this game requires a lot of power.

[xlink]

Originally Posted by Sr7

Is this just blind faith, or based off something in particular?

compare the OCed performance of a crippled g80 part to an OCed 4870...
heck the 4850x2 is around the $300 mark and it certainly outdoes my 8800GTS640 by about 2:1

not blind faith, more like low expectations, we should've been 50% higher already, we've been stuck near 2006 performance levels for FAR too long.

[Nano2k]

Originally Posted by naokaji

Don't know of any that are currently out that can't run on older hw, but maybe blizzard (only major game developer to regularly release mac versions along the windows one) will jump on the linux train if decent 3D drivers become avalaible for current gpu's, imagine the marketshare boost for linux if SC2 and Diablo 3 would be avalaible for it.

Wow in OSX sucks you have only 30-50% of the FPS you get in Windows on the same machine, plus there are artifacts.
Just browsing the official Wow forums you get an idea of how good Wow runs in OpenGL...

It's console gaming running the game industry now(besides a few PC only games like Wow), it's not like there is money to be made doing OpenGL or Linux games... and money being the reason to anything that is done nowadays...

This said smart move from ATI if they can make money selling to Linux geeks.

[Helmore]

Originally Posted by naokaji

Don't know of any that are currently out that can't run on older hw, but maybe blizzard (only major game developer to regularly release mac versions along the windows one) will jump on the linux train if decent 3D drivers become avalaible for current gpu's, imagine the marketshare boost for linux if SC2 and Diablo 3 would be avalaible for it.

There are also rumors that Valve is working on improving it's Linux support, give me a minute to find where I got that.

A I found it, here it is:
http://techreport.com/discussions.x/15972
http://techreport.com/discussions.x/14697

[Morais]

Phoronix also have a detailed discussion about open-sourcing R600/R700 3D

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?pag...0_oss_3d&num=1

[safan80]

Originally Posted by Morais

Phoronix also have a detailed discussion about open-sourcing R600/R700 3D

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?pag...0_oss_3d&num=1

yeah the OP should of added that link from /.

[Bobsama]

Good. I would love to see some new games in Linux. It could make it a viable option to $100 for Windows.

[Hawkeye4077]

Originally Posted by ExodusC

It makes me wonder if this development will improve OpenGL support under Linux for ATI cards, as well as Wine/Cedega performance.

Have to agree with you there. I use Wine and Cedega and the lack of performance under a few games is what keeps me using MS products at all.

[Morais]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye4077

Have to agree with you there. I use Wine and Cedega and the lack of performance under a few games is what keeps me using MS products at all.

I'm on the same boat, I only use windows for game ,because drivers at linux stinks...everything else , developing, web surfing etc. on my linux box.Gimme good drivers and AstalaVista

[GNU]

Very good. I don't linke Windows.

[Boogerlad]

bye bye windows =) Just need to wait for wine to improve.

[safan80]

Originally Posted by Boogerlad

bye bye windows =) Just need to wait for wine to improve.

wine has improved.... they added 64bit support. here's the change log from version 1.1.11

http://www.winehq.org/announce/1.1.11

[Calmatory]

Originally Posted by safan80

wine has improved.... they added 64bit support. here's the change log from version 1.1.11

http://www.winehq.org/announce/1.1.11

I see no reason to rely on Wine really. If one has to play games, one has to use Windows. For me Wine is just a joke when it comes anything made in last 4 years. Sure pre2000 games run fairly well without many problems but the rest.. Even as simple game as Soldat does not really run with Wine.

I guess that the AMD/ATI drivers are aimed for basic GPU accelerated things like video playback and en/decoding.

[nn_step]

well you know what they say...
The easiest and cheapest way on earth to have your software massively improved and optimized, make it open source.