Intel Releases NDA-free GPU documentation..

[Brynet-Inc]

Looks like another contender in the GPU world has released documentation... but this time, information about 3D is also included.

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=a ... =984&num=1

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm certainly liking this new trend..

Support for video cards if often a issue with hobby OSDev projects... I think that's about to change soon.

http://intellinuxgraphics.com/documentation.html
http://www.x.org/docs/intel/

[Brendan]

Hi,

Looks like another contender in the GPU world has released documentation... but this time, information about 3D is also included.

From what I hear, Intel's documentation is some of the highest quality (most complete) graphics documentation available. It should make it a lot easier to support Intel's graphics, but...

Support for video cards if often a issue with hobby OSDev projects... I think that's about to change soon.

I honestly don't think extremely good documentation will change too much for hobby OS developers: instead of not being able to write drivers due to lack of documentation, we'll not be able to write drivers due to complexity and time constraints.

For example, I'd expect it to take a year or 2 for someone like me working 8 hours per day to write a high quality driver for Intel's 945 graphics. Then it becomes a choice - with your available time, you could have a crappy OS with very good video on some computers (and crappy video on others), or you could have a very good OS with crappy video on all computers. I'd always take the second option (because no-one wants a crappy OS, regardless of how good the graphics are)...


Cheers,

Brendan

[Brynet-Inc]

I don't even have accelerated graphics on my workstations, so it's not extremely important to me.

And I'm also aware that having the documentation alone won't magically make the drivers appear.

But I's a start right? What else can we ask for..

[Combuster]

I should really stop getting computers with video cards that do not have documentation

[lukem95]

Has anybody had a look at the docs yet?

im totally lost with it, i think ill wait a while 'till im at the stage where im considering graphical UI anyway, maybe X.org will have a few more drivers for me to reference too.

This can only be progess though

[jal]

I don't even have accelerated graphics on my workstations, so it's not extremely important to me.

I don't think non-accelerated graphics cards have been produced after 1990, and non-3D-accelerated graphics cards after 2000 or so. :)


JAL

[Brynet-Inc]

I don't even have accelerated graphics on my workstations, so it's not extremely important to me.

I don't think non-accelerated graphics cards have been produced after 1990, and non-3D-accelerated graphics cards after 2000 or so.


JAL

Obviously the cards in my computers have some functionality, but none have accelerated any 3D graphics since I've owned them.

[jal]

Obviously the cards in my computers have some functionality, but none have accelerated any 3D graphics since I've owned them.

You're just not pushing them enough! :)


JAL

[elfenix]

I don't even have accelerated graphics on my workstations, so it's not extremely important to me.

I don't think non-accelerated graphics cards have been produced after 1990, and non-3D-accelerated graphics cards after 2000 or so.


JAL

Only if you completely ignore embedded and/or server markets....

[jal]

Only if you completely ignore embedded and/or server markets....

He was talking about his workstations. I know little about the embedded market, but it makes sense there's little acceleration there. As for servers, I would think at least some 2D acceleration would be present, but maybe I'm wrong.


JAL

[Tyler]

Only if you completely ignore embedded and/or server markets....

He was talking about his workstations. I know little about the embedded market, but it makes sense there's little acceleration there. As for servers, I would think at least some 2D acceleration would be present, but maybe I'm wrong.


JAL

Mid to High End Servers, Mainframes and Other larger system's don't even have Graphics cards, never mind 2D Acceleration.

[jal]

Mid to High End Servers, Mainframes and Other larger system's don't even have Graphics cards, never mind 2D Acceleration.

Exactly, they don't even have a gfx card. So then it would be pretty useless talking about acceleration, wouldn't it?


JAL