KMS

KMS: drivers in kernel, same as with every other driver in the system.

KMS needs memory management system.

Initial memory management system had poor API that didn’t work very well across platforms.

Can jump from text mode kernel debugger to/from X Windows.

Gallium3D

Difficult to port existing drivers.

DRI2

Attempt to make compositing work properly.

Wayland

New display server, not as large or with as much legacy as X.

Can run X server inside wayland.

Can run two X servers inside wayland, e.g. for two users.

It is not X.

Input support is weak.

Linux drivers

Intel

• First manufacturer to provide us with data.
• Big company.
• Close to feature complete.
• Not mature yet.
• Dropped support for non-KMS machines. Code has been removed.

AMD / ATI

• Support for R100 to R700. R800 not supported yet. R800 looks nice with 6 monitors.
• In staging in kernel. Need to use staging option to build. Will be main driver in upcoming enterprise version of OS I won’t name.
• Suspend/resume easier to debug. Run BIOS scripts ourselfs.
• Radeon vs Radeon HD.
• Power saving missing. Might heat up system a lot. Patches available, need to be merged in kernel. Hopefully by 2.6.34.
• Might move out of staging by 2.6.33.

nouveau

• The trojan horse driver.
• KMS support: nv4 thorugh to G80.
• Acceleration support limited on some ion cards.
• legal issues with code disappearing.
• Suspend/resume works.

virtual GPUS

• vmware, QXL, cirrus

uvesakms via mga

Questions

X can run as non-root, except for security issues regarding the input layer. e.g. switch to one user, user grabs keyboard and doesn’t let go when input is switched to other session.