[PLUG] Compiz Question/speaking of ATI drivers..

[jeff <jeffv@op.net>]

as part of my forced migration from Win, I have some bizarro dual head 
ATI Radeon Ridiculous Radiation card with a cute little fan and pretty 
stickers on it.

Ubuntu had no problem installing at all.  I believe it went right to 
VESA (and never collected $200).  The *real* fun started when I 
attempted to actually MAKE it run dual head.  After install I had 
dual-mono monitors, meaning that I got the same image on both.

Someone online suggested using the flgrx(?) drivers.   I trod lightly, 
first just getting the card to recognize the monitors, which it didn't 
(and wouldn't).  I manually set the monitors, hit TEST, and *poof* Black 
Screen of Death (nothing at all - nada - non).  It never came back after 
test.

After putzing around with xorg.conf and rebooting a lot, I got back to 
dual-mono.  I located the ati driver (a real feat if you've never messed 
with this before), said a prayer to Hendrix, and let her rip.

POOF - two separate monitors!

Only something wasn't right.   My main monitor was off in the resolution 
department.  In spite of the fact that I set the proper name, it was 
bleedin' *huge*.  Went into the graphics section and set it right, with 
predictable results (no video).

Back to xorg.conf.

But wait - there's also an aticonfig program, which yielded similar results.

I believe I've located a bug.  It could be in ati, Ubuntu, their 
interaction, or my cranium - I don't know yet.  It seems that Ubuntu has 
the monitors backwards.  I told it to put #2 to the left and that it was 
an M990.  In xorg.conf, my main monitor claimed it was an M990.  It 
looked like I'd provide a value, then the software would roll the 
internal dice, trying to decide which monitor to throw that number at.

I lacked the patience to scream at it further, plus I did have a 
smattering of actual *work* to do.  I'll have another go at it tomorrow.

I spent less time configuring xorg by hand at home, but I wasn't using 
proprietary drivers.

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