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Re: [PLUG] speaking of closed-source video drivers...
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Yeah, there are lots of places where linux simply falls on its face.
Graphics is the big one. Graphics on linux is a bag nailed to the side
of it. I know that's harsh, but its true. We're _still_ using X11 for
a gui. X is a protocol, not a graphical environment. That combined
with the fundamentally broken way that X came to be only makes matters
worse.
Let me be clear on this. I love X11 when it's appropriate, but it is
almost NEVER appropriate. X11 was an experiment that didn't solve any
problems. It just kind of took off as the least worst solution.
Personally, I'd rather see the directfb stuff take off and keep around
a rootless x server like OS X does. But, that would take a lot of
cooperation from a lot of extremely smart but pigheaded people.
If you haven't already read it, go download and read the Unix Haters
Handbook. It's a ha-ha, only serious kind of thing. As an aside, it
also has an anti-forward by Dennis Ritchie. Understanding the
evolution and shortfalls of where we were is critical for not going
fast forward into the past. For as old as the book is (I think its
from 1994), there is still quite a bit of truth in it which isn't
surprising given how long we've squabbled over vi vs emacs rather than
things that make the desktop more usable.
The chapters on X11 and NFS ring true even today. Actually as a follow
up to the X11 chapter, there's some interesting commentary over here
regarding nvidia's drivers and the short comings the proprietary
drivers have to compensate for.
http://linuxhaters.blogspot.com/2008/06/nitty-gritty-shit-on-open-source.html
So why do I run linux? Because it has strong points where it cant be
touched by anything else IMO. To me, linux is like any other tool. Use
it where it makes sense, dont use it where it gets in the way and be
objective enough that you dont anthromorphize an operating system.
On Thu, Jan 15, 2009 at 11:48 PM, <jeffv@op.net> wrote:
> I have been menaced, tortured, mocked, and virtually waterboarded by the combination of the open source ATI video driver and the proprietary ATI video driver for my Xubuntu laptop. The more cruel of the two is definitely the proprietary ATI video driver (but we'd expect that here).
>
> All I wanted was one of those stupidly simple little things: to plug an additional monitor into my laptop and use both of them as one large desktop. I ran right into what I refer as the Problem With Linux.
>
> Read about it, if you care, at the address below.
> Post is called "ATI is a PITA with Linux, which is Lacking"
>
> http://www.lockergnome.com/leftystrat/2009/01/15/ati-is-a-pita-with-linux-which-is-lacking/
>
> --
> ThermionicEmissions - the blog
> http://www.lockergnome.com/leftystrat
> ___________________________________________________________________________
> Philadelphia Linux Users Group -- http://www.phillylinux.org
> Announcements - http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
> General Discussion -- http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
>
--
J.
___________________________________________________________________________
Philadelphia Linux Users Group -- http://www.phillylinux.org
Announcements - http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
General Discussion -- http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
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