Gentoo Archives: gentoo-user

From: meino.cramer@×××.de
To: gentoo-user@l.g.o
Subject: Re: [gentoo-user] Weird Screen-Overlay problems after update
Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2014 15:59:39
Message-Id: 20140415155919.GA4465@solfire
In Reply to: Re: [gentoo-user] Weird Screen-Overlay problems after update by Alan McKinnon
1 Alan McKinnon <alan.mckinnon@×××××.com> [14-04-15 17:33]:
2 > On 15/04/2014 09:14, Mick wrote:
3 > > On Monday 14 Apr 2014 15:35:00 Alan McKinnon wrote:
4 > >
5 > >> The nvidia blobs do work well as long as you use them the way they were
6 > >> intended to be used.
7 > >>
8 > >> The way they were intended to be used is the same way Windows uses them,
9 > >> the Linux and Windows drivers share the bulk of the internal code and
10 > >> Linux feature set most definitely is not the driving force here :-)
11 > >>
12 > >> Which means some awesome things the X server can do simply do not work
13 > >> with the blob. The blob also rips out most of the OpenGL and framebuffer
14 > >> code and replaces it with it's own mysterious black magic, this can add
15 > >> more wrinkles.
16 > >>
17 > >> And finally, the Nvidia blob is not at all integrated with the kernel in
18 > >> any meaningful way, so your running kernel usually ends up 2-4 versions
19 > >> behind current.
20 > >
21 > > Would I be wrong to deduce from this that I would be better off with Radeon
22 > > cards instead of moving to NVidia? Out of coincidence I have been using
23 > > Radeon for ever it seems and I have had no problem that I recall with the free
24 > > radeon drivers. No need to align suitable kernel versions with new video card
25 > > drivers, or skip any driver versions, or much else. The only thing that I had
26 > > to think about was how to sort out suitable firmware, but even this was
27 > > relatively easy.
28 > >
29 > > Many people slate Radeon cards and this had me thinking that I should
30 > > consciously make an effort to buy NVidia, but I am not as sure at this moment
31 > > in time that this would not bring more problems than its worth?
32 >
33 >
34 >
35 > Would you be better off with a Toyota or a Nissan? Same answer:
36 >
37 > I don't see much difference. Both work, both have free and blob drivers,
38 > both are better at some things and worse at others. I really don't see
39 > any clear cut reason to choose one over the other for the general case.
40 > Never mind that some people will not touch one or the other with a barge
41 > pole no matter how much you pay them, I think they just have human bias.
42 >
43 > I've used both over the years, with free and blob drivers, and they
44 > always did what I need them to do - display a desktop and play movies.
45 >
46 > There will always be cases where some specific range of GPU and/or
47 > drivers just isn't up to snuff but I don't think that applies overall.
48 >
49 > You should go with the option that maximizes your own personal warm and
50 > fuzzy feelings :-)
51 >
52 >
53 > --
54 > Alan McKinnon
55 > alan.mckinnon@×××××.com
56 >
57 >
58
59 To exegrate the whole discussion:
60
61 "Help! I have a problem with Linux!"
62
63 "...I have some heard of Linux...bad things...use windows instead!"
64
65 So: Due to the already mentioned reasons I cannot use other hardware/
66 other software. I need to get THIS running.
67
68 Next question: How can I downgrade to the previous version of
69 nvidia-drivers/nvidia-settings/nvidia-cude-toolkit, which works
70 nice for me?
71
72 Best regards,
73 mcc

Replies

Subject Author
Re: [gentoo-user] NVidia 3D setup Matti Nykyri <matti.nykyri@×××.fi>
Re: [gentoo-user] Weird Screen-Overlay problems after update Tom Wijsman <TomWij@g.o>