LinuxQuestions.org
Latest LQ Deal: Latest LQ Deals
Go Back   LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Software
User Name
Password
Linux - Software This forum is for Software issues.
Having a problem installing a new program? Want to know which application is best for the job? Post your question in this forum.

Notices


Reply
  Search this Thread
Old 07-07-2004, 10:25 PM   #1
shanenin
Member
 
Registered: Aug 2003
Location: Rochester, MN, U.S.A
Distribution: Gentoo
Posts: 987

Rep: Reputation: 30
mesa dri or ati proprietatry drivers?


I just helped a friend install fedora core 2, it automatically set up direct rendering for his radion 9200se(I think that is the one). I ran the command glxinfo, it said that the direct rendering was being done by mesa dri. Would the proprietary drivers from ati give him a lot better performance?
 
Old 07-08-2004, 04:49 AM   #2
motub
Senior Member
 
Registered: Sep 2003
Location: The Netherlands
Distribution: Gentoo (main); SuSE 9.3 (fallback)
Posts: 1,607

Rep: Reputation: 46
A lot better performance than what? You haven't told us what the performance level is.

Is there a problem with performance? If so, what is it (it might be application-specific, rather than driver-related)?

Does your friend care about Open Source? If so, then he should stick with the kernel drivers and MESA, rather than switching to the closed-source ATI drivers.

Does your friend (or you) have a lot of technical knowledge and experience (oh, I see that you at least use Gentoo, so skip that question on your behalf, but how much time do you want to spend compiling his kernel?), and do you or he enjoy compiling kernels? If not, you probably want to avoid the ATI drivers, which (depending on the mobo and CPU hardware) may require kernel patching to run, definitely require proper kernel configuration to run (meaning that you usually have to recompile the kernel at least once, to turn of DRM, if nothing else), and usually need to be compiled against the kernel source (which means you have to find and install it, and do it again when you upgrade your kernel).

As you see, I use the ATI drivers-- but I have to, being that I have a 9800SE; the 9200 series is the last that can use the "radeon" kernel driver, afaik-- so I'm used to this amount of work to get the proprietary drivers properly installed and running and it doesn't bother me. However, it might bother your friend if he doesn't want to know about this, or you, if you don't want to be running over to his house every time something needs to be adjusted with these drivers or the kernel it's compiled against.

So you really might want to see whether current performance is acceptable before going any further.... or switch him to Gentoo , where emerge ati-drivers is a lot simpler than the process you have to go through under most of the binary distros (though the backend-- meaning the kernel) still has to be properly configured beforehand.

Just my 0.02.

Last edited by motub; 07-08-2004 at 04:51 AM.
 
  


Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off



Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
ATI drivers: fglrx vs dri. What's the difference?? rose_bud4201 Linux - Hardware 3 09-09-2005 07:18 PM
ATI and DRI drivers help please Digitalsoldier Linux - Newbie 4 08-04-2005 10:18 PM
cannot get DRI to work with ATI fglrx drivers under X alesz Fedora 2 06-09-2005 07:39 AM
ATI Drivers... stuck in Mesa. indiglopulse Linux - Hardware 6 11-14-2004 05:26 PM
ATI FireGL Drivers for WineX, Uninstalling mesa? Aeiri Linux - Software 2 04-10-2004 02:53 PM

LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Software

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:14 AM.

Main Menu
Advertisement
My LQ
Write for LQ
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute content, let us know.
Main Menu
Syndicate
RSS1  Latest Threads
RSS1  LQ News
Twitter: @linuxquestions
Open Source Consulting | Domain Registration