Re: Tools

[Chris Purnell <cjp@oit.net>]

On Wed, Jan 05, 2000 at 09:54:38PM -0600, Erik wrote:
 
> Strange, I think console is a better place for games. But I think console is
> better for a lot of things :) I think re-targetable sdk's are important and
> will be a strength linux has over windows. (yeah, will be. there are a few that
> do it, but I think they could be a lot better.)

And:

> a lot of people have been saying "when X4 is out", myself included. Now I'm
> wondering how much is hype? :)

The linux console rocks.

However most of the driver writing effort is directed towards X.
Also the console driver writing effort is split over svgalib,
fbcon and kgi.  The result of this it the the hardware support
for the console sucks.

Ever since I first installed linux on my PC at home I've said
that what linux needs most is a unified set of graphics drivers.
A scheme where my X server uses the same drivers as my console
app.  

The GGI project has tried to do this but they are at odds with
the X people.  So XGGI is not a viable replacement for a cards
native X server.  While XFree86 has the best graphics cards
support and all the 3D support.

The overhyped XF86 V4 might just hold the key be the answer.
XF86 V4 has it's graphics drivers as loadable modules.  The
idea that I and others have had is to use those drivers to
produce a console mode api such as svgalib.

What I'm going to do is wait until the release of XF86 V4
and then I'm going to look at how the driver interface
works to see if the scheme is doable.

-- 
Christopher John Purnell  | A friend in need's a friend in deed
http://www.lost.org.uk/   | A friend with weed is better
--------------------------| A friend with breasts and all the rest
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