AMD unleashes open-source 3D code

[wolfen69]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/12/31/amd_open_source_3d_code/

good news for ATI users. :D

[bufsabre666]

good news to linux users period, its nice already being able to boot a live cd and have the desktop widescreen and 2d accel. but when all the effects work its ganna be great

[PryGuy]

Great news for all of us! nVidia, it's your turn now... :-\"

[Private_Ops]

Sweet, I've got an HD4830 so this is cool. Even though the drivers are well off in the future.

[Grant A.]

Great news for all of us! nVidia, it's your turn now... :-\"

NVidia uses too much stuff licensed from other people in their drivers, so they won't be able to OS them. :(

[PryGuy]

NVidia uses too much stuff licensed from other people in their drivers, so they won't be able to OS them. :(I start saving money on ATI GPU then... ;)

[mips]

I start saving money on ATI GPU then... ;)

Problem is the ATI drivers are not on par with the nVidia ones yet. I will only switch when the drivers are on par or better.

[Twitch6000]

I never thought I would see ATI Opening their graphics card's.

Now this is just wow....

[PryGuy]

I never thought I would see ATI Opening their graphics card's.

Now this is just wow....I think that's the only way for them to survive.

[Swagman]

I think that's the only way for them to survive.

You could well be right, Necessity breeds innovation.
It actually costs them nothing as OS coders do the grunt and they sell heaps of graphics cards to us.

That might be just the cash influx they need to bring their new cpu to fruition.

Who knows ?

All I know is that I will be building a new rig around February time and if ati have native 3d drivers for linux then I will consider buying over nvidia.

[kjb34]

This is great news.:D Now i may consider an ATI graphics card when upgrade my old one in the next few months.

[igknighted]

I never thought I would see ATI Opening their graphics card's.

Now this is just wow....

They've been releasing code and specs for almost the whole past year now, hence why the radeonhd driver is flying in development, especially compared to nouveau.

[Twitch6000]

They've been releasing code and specs for almost the whole past year now, hence why the radeonhd driver is flying in development, especially compared to nouveau.

True,but I thought that was only for certain parts of the card or something.(eg. only 2D)

I might have mis understood.

[MaxIBoy]

Before, only 2D code was released. Over the course of about a year, ATI has been releasing some 3D code, one model of graphics card at a time. Now, a lot more 3D code has been released, so the open-source drivers should have 3D acceleration for more cards soon. (That's how I understand it, anyway.)

[jrusso2]

I am not convinced that Open Source is the best way to make current drivers. Those same ATI cards have Windows drivers that work. Only waiting for years for the Linux drivers to catch up.

The Intel cards that are open don't seem to keep up with the curent Intel versions. Only the Nvidia cards which are not open seem to keep current.

[MikeTheC]

Competition is always a good thing. nVidia had better figure something out and quick, otherwise it may well be "game-over" for them. I know it may seem silly to say it now, but far bigger, richer and significant companies than them have failed -- some seemingly overnight -- and those who fail to pay attention to emerging trends and threats are often consumed by them.

[chris200x9]

looks like I may be going AMD next time around :O

[Mazza558]

I've been pretty happy with the open source ati drivers, especially since I figured out how to fix the slow 2d scrolling on them. This can only be good news.