Re: [Linux-fbdev-devel] [PATCH] aty128fb 15/16 bit cleanup

[Michel <mic...@ii...>]

Sven LUTHER wrote:

> > Who better to the knwo the hardware of the console system than the console
> > system itself. As linux is ported to more and more platforms less and less
> > of that graphics hardware will support vga text mode. Even when you place
> > your video card in a vga text mode besides 80x25 XFree86 has a hard time.
> > It makes to many assumptions which end up being wrong. Even without my
> > console changes XFree86 is broken. With my changes it still will be
> > broken. It just in the case of the new console code it reset the mode
> > itself and in the process fix any stupid mistakes XFree86 made.
> 
> yes, fbdev support in linux needs some work, but it can be fixed, if someone
> is willing to do the job.

I seem to be the only one willing to do it. The plan has been evolving in my
head for some time, but I don't feel quite ready to attack it yet. If all else
fails, I'll have to lock myself with just my PowerBook and enough food to
survive into a room for a few days. :)


> But again, X actually thinks that they are responsible for handling the
> card, and the DRI follows their lead. It is the X driver who handles the
> switch between the 2D and various 3D contexts.

That's not correct. In the DRI context, the X server is one of many clients
the DRM mediates hardware access between.

> How will using hardware access on the console handle this ?

I imagine fbcon would have to be a client of the DRM as well.


-- 
Earthling Michel Dänzer (MrCooper)    \   Debian GNU/Linux (powerpc) developer
CS student, Free Software enthusiast   \        XFree86 and DRI project member