Vista, etc.

[Simon]

FPGAs being used to offload computation seems like possibly a good
idea, but I don't know enough about low level computing to know
whether there's enough of a need for it, and how feasible it is.

On 12/24/06, D. Hugh Redelmeier <hugh-pmF8o41NoarQT0dZR+AlfA at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> This is the thing that runs the display.
>
> (An X client is typically an application program wanting stuff drawn on
> the screen.)

I know this, I just wasn't sure, because it doesn't make sense to me
to be so paranoid about needed software that comes from a trusted
source (upstream and distribution devs) being able to use your
hardware.  Sounds like the "pull the plug" approach to internet
security, or the avoidance of email altogether so as to solve the spam
problem.

> Building the X server on top of OpenGL is perhaps OK; certainly as an
> option.  That is a fundamental change.  It seems to require much more
> worthy OpenGL implementations.  It would seem to disadvantage old
> desktops (without 3d hardware or enough RAM) and smaller systems (like
> my Zaurus) and incent the use of closed source drivers.

Seems to me that saying that this promotes the use of closed graphics
drivers is somewhat like saying that the Internet promotes the use of
closed networking drivers.  Also, XGL was implemented as a full screen
OpenGL application (an X server built on OpenGL like you describe),
but AIGLX is merely an extension of the existing X server codebase,
and not a replacement of it.  I didn't really complete the argument
before about optional functionality without breaking anything, but
perhaps it would be better to say that AIGLX adds powerful new
capabilities without breaking any existing functionality, by virtue of
its ability to be disabled.  However, it's enabled by default, which
implies that it doesn't break anything while enabled, either.  I
certainly can confirm this firsthand - it's enabled for me right now,
and I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference, other than the
inexplicable boost in performance of indirectly rendered applications.

> What do you want to do?
[snip]
> Build open-source hardware?  I would expect that the performance of
> GPUs built on FPGAs to be way behind what ATI and nVidia produce.

Sounds about right, but like you say, it would have to be on an ASIC
in order to compete.  Perhaps it is possible to develop on expensive
FPGAs while using ASICs for large scale production?  I wish I knew
more about this, it really bugs me to have inadequate support for my
graphics card just because I insist on using an otherwise better
operating system.
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