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ATI readies big Linux driver push

Daniel Fleshbourne   on 24 September 2004 - 16:37 · 40 comments & 2579 views

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ATI IS here in Cyprus to outline its recently announced X700 and Catalyst drivers.
Terry Makedon, a senior product manager, largely talked about those, but he did say the firm is readying a major push in the next few weeks to outline its plans for Linux driver support. He said that ATI has three main goals for Linux. He said that ATI supports Linux which represents around four per cent of the market, and that the firm’s Linux efforts are proportional to the market.

He said that ATI had rebuilt its Linux driver team with a lot of new developers. He said ATI will improve its test process including automated test methodologies, lots of new ways of testing more efficiently. He said ATI’s priority was to make PCIe Linux drivers ready as well as provide support for AMD64.

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News source: The Inq


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#1 X-Spyder on 24 Sep 2004 - 16:45
That's about the amount of effort I give to ATI.
#2 divertom15 on 24 Sep 2004 - 16:56
give us the LDDM drivers
#3 Sir Gawain on 24 Sep 2004 - 16:58
About time, I was starting to regret getting my 9800pro as NVIDIA has much better linux drivers.
#4 markjensen on 24 Sep 2004 - 17:00
Great News!

nVidia has been excellent with thier support of Linux, and ATI has been sort of halfway there up to now. Some cards they supporeted well, and others not well (or much at all!). This has caused problems with new people trying Linux when they run into extra work or problems with their ATI cards.
(2 replies) #5 JadeWolf324 on 24 Sep 2004 - 17:03
Ati has **** support for linux. they dont even support X.org. i email hate mail to them all the time about that.

nvidia was always the best when it comes to linux, accept nothing more until ATI gets their act together.
#5.1 Miran on 24 Sep 2004 - 17:08
Yes because hatemail will solve all problems. Believe me when I tell you that a well written, mature, and balanced LETTER (not email) has much more power to influence change.
#5.2 JadeWolf324 on 24 Sep 2004 - 17:09
i saw just a big of a response when i firstly sent a regular letter talking about the support of standards...they don't even read your feedback either way.
#6 NinjaOfLove on 24 Sep 2004 - 17:08
Finally!
#7 Krome on 24 Sep 2004 - 17:28
ATi finally realize who they neglect.
#8 Savagearth on 24 Sep 2004 - 17:36
About D*MN time!
#9 kainashi on 24 Sep 2004 - 17:41
about time, ati.
#10 theyarecomingforyou on 24 Sep 2004 - 17:48
Well... even with all the improvements to the Windows drivers they are far from good, so I don't have much hope for them yet.

Still, if they even get it so that they install then it will be a huge improvement!
(2 replies) #11 KenLin on 24 Sep 2004 - 17:51
Funny timing. I was just saying that my next card will be nvidia because of crappy linux support from ATI. We'll see what happens ...
#11.1 [idkfa] on 24 Sep 2004 - 18:14
Same over here. I guess I'll wait and see if their drivers really do improve.
#11.2 alister on 24 Sep 2004 - 20:10
I was thinking about switching back to Nvidia also since I am considering making the switch to Linux. I guess I will wait a little longer before my next card purchase and see what ATI does. If they don't make some good improvement within a reasonable time frame then I will be forced to switch to Nvidia.
#12 nic on 24 Sep 2004 - 18:12
All vendors need to support Linux more. The newer distros are looking more and more appealing to the main stream computer crowd. If hardware vendors would work harder at making sure their hardware works on your basic Linux distro then Linux can have room to grow even more. I think we can actually thank Linspire and Wal-mart for waking up the hardware community. With a version of Linux now being sold at a very large retail chain, it is not doubt that more hardware support would follow.
#13 CbaZ10 on 24 Sep 2004 - 18:13
Hope they work good
then i'm certainly buying a X800 XT
(1 reply) #14 GaMMa on 24 Sep 2004 - 18:15
If things improve I MAY consider getting an ATI card next time. Until then, NVIDIA all the way. I've never messed with ATI drivers, are they open source or closed source like NVIDIA?
#14.1 theyarecomingforyou on 24 Sep 2004 - 19:55
QUOTE
I've never messed with ATI drivers, are they open source or closed source like NVIDIA?


Closed source... at least the key components are; that is why the community haven't been able to build their own drivers.
#15 Oneill on 24 Sep 2004 - 18:22
Im surprised ATI could even be bothered for 4%, having said that other 90% windows driver users get faffed about anyway.

nVidias drivers are 10x what ATi could ever pull out of their ass, just look at their "new" control panel, what a load of crap.

No im not an nVidia fanboy, im on a 9800XT, but my next card will be an nVidia.
#16 Jstphish on 24 Sep 2004 - 18:41
It's about time. I haven't been able to get my ATI card working correctly in any installation that I've tried. I know it has to do with my dual monitor and dual video card setup (1 PCI, 1 onboard). I really hope this helps to solve my problems. (I never had a problem with my old Nvidia GeForce 2MX)
#17 MegaManXcalibur on 24 Sep 2004 - 18:42
This is great news. I always liked ATI cards better for gaming (I don't hate nVidia either I just had better luck with ATI, each person will have a different opinion). When graphics card update time comes around I like to take my old gaming card and slap it in my Linux box but sadly because of the rather poor ATI drives I've had to leave the crappy GeForece 4MX (somebody was kind enough to donate it to me) in it. I just hope ATI doesn't released all their drives as .rpm files like they used to (I run Slackware so .rpms are pretty much a no go).
#18 Treefrog on 24 Sep 2004 - 19:40
I'm glad to see ATI doing this, good for them. That said, I'll stick with nvidia, they've always been good to me.
#19 cybershark on 24 Sep 2004 - 19:52
About time!
(7 replies) #20 amdme3200 on 24 Sep 2004 - 20:14
**** Linux .
#20.1 NinjaOfLove on 25 Sep 2004 - 00:29
What's wrong precious? Couldn't get Linspire to install on your Emachine?
#20.2 amdme3200 on 25 Sep 2004 - 03:21
Lol no I dont own **** computers like you.
#20.3 MegaManXcalibur on 25 Sep 2004 - 04:36
Wow you can't even get it to install on a decent machine? tsk tsk.
#20.4 amdme3200 on 25 Sep 2004 - 05:20
Who said I installed it? I just said **** linux. And that descent computer is 1 of 5 I own.
#20.5 Jstphish on 25 Sep 2004 - 16:18
Most people here couldn't care less how many computers you own or if you hate Linux for whatever reason. The article is on ATi making drivers for Linux not "Linux is soooo great so let's all post idiotic comments."
#20.6 SVT on 25 Sep 2004 - 23:52
The **** in "**** Linux" stands for love.

SVT
#20.7 amdme3200 on 26 Sep 2004 - 00:01
I like ATI but such a waste on linux. I care how many computer's I have im not poor. I also like to make idiotic comments to see what ppl will say make's my work day go by faster .
(1 reply) #21 Sir Gawain on 24 Sep 2004 - 20:32
nVidia almost releases drivers too fast. You just install one set and BAM, out comes another. Most of that is because nVidia reads their forums and fixs bugs quickly.
#21.1 LaNcom on 25 Sep 2004 - 03:55
Would be great if that were true...

I emailed Nvidia's Linux support days ago about OpenGL overlay not working with xorg X11 6.8.x (I'm on a Quadro FX3000G), but they didn't even answer my mail. That said, I'm not only using a big Quadro, I'm also registred Nvidia developer.

I think there's always room for improvement, it's just that ATI has much more free space... ;-)
#22 DaNIsH on 25 Sep 2004 - 00:19
Wow, great to hear.
(2 replies) #23 adamcsays on 25 Sep 2004 - 05:29
This is really super. I tried Fedora Core 2 this week and eventually gave up and used Redhat 9 because I couldn't get the ATI drivers for my x800 to work in fedora core 2. And I think it only barely works in redhat 9... but maybe I just don't know anything.
#23.1 theyarecomingforyou on 25 Sep 2004 - 22:37
It's not just you... all my attempts with SuSE 9.1 and Fedora Core 2 failed, and quick Google search will back up the problems that people are having with ATi drivers.
#23.2 Jstphish on 26 Sep 2004 - 02:06
Same here, refer to post below V
#24 Jstphish on 25 Sep 2004 - 22:24
Just a tip for those who have ATi cards until the Linux drivers from ATi themselves come out. I had a problem with the current ATi drivers with any Linux install that uses Kudzu to probe for what kind of hardware your system uses. I now use Gnoppix because it uses Discovery and accurately detects my ATi card.
#25 nookadum on 27 Sep 2004 - 12:07
FINALLY, these *******s are finally putting it together. After that **** they call the "Catalyst Control Panel", I thought I lost hope.

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