Messages in this thread |  | | Date | Fri, 7 Jun 96 17:54 BST | From | Jamie Lokier <> | Subject | Re: SVGA kernel chipset drivers. |
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>>>>> "Theodore" == Theodore Y Ts'o <tytso@mit.edu> writes:
Theodore> Hence, to gain full functionality of a new accelerated Theodore> board, *two* things have to happen. (1) we need to have a Theodore> new Linux driver written, and (2) we need a new X server Theodore> that can take advantage of the new GGI ioctl's. Contrast Theodore> this with the existing method, where we just need (1) a Theodore> new X server that takes advantage of the features of the Theodore> new board.
New ioctls only need writing if a new board provides a feature that really is different to all the others so far. I don't expect that to happen too often -- surely all board manufacturers will be aiming towards whatever works well with Direct3D or OpenGL.
So, for most new cards: new GGI driver, same X server.
Even when a new feature is available, the older X server will happily run with the new GGI driver. Kernel drivers tend to be developed much more quickly than new versions of XFree86 are released, so this is just as well. (I know, it should be easy for anyone to add a driver to XFree86, but it's somehow so much easier to put a kernel module together).
-- Jamie
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