Xen - VGA passthrough is the way to go!!!

[mitcoes]

[QUOTE=powerhouse;258460]@Lemrouch: Interesting setup! Thanks for sharing.
I would happily migrate to Linux only, but there is no professional photo editing solution available on Linux. So I'm kinda stuck with Windows (though I could move to Mac, but that would be really expensive).

GIMP and Inskscape are not enough for you?

If Pixar can make excellent movies with Linux, perhaps you can make more than 90% of your work, for those other little things that Photoshop does that GIMP doesn't you can use a Virtual installation hard disk or partitions to dual boot and where you will not use the internet except for system and programs upgrades.

[kobblestown]

GIMP and Inskscape are not enough for you?

To the best of my knowledge, GIMP doesn't support more than 8 bits per channel. I think this will come when GIMP moves completely to GEGL. Since it already uses it partially maybe it also provides partial support for deep colors too. But I doubt it. Does anyone know for certain what is the current status in this respect?

[powerhouse]

mitcoes: Thanks for the reply.

I did try them. Last time I used Gimp it only supported 8 bits per color channel. This is not enough and would cause image degradation when doing contrast enhancements etc.

I currently use a dual boot setup but it's inconvenient. I plan to use Windows 7 and the photo editing applications in a VM and hope that will work. The big problem is that currently I can't access my graphics card from within a VM (Windows) in order to do screen calibration and profile upload to the display (my screen is able to do color correction in 14 bit inside the screen, so I need to be able to upload the profile via the DVI port of the graphics card). It's not a setup many people will have, but it allows me to get very consistent results when editing photos.

It doesn't mean the applications you mentioned are bad, but at least Gimp doesn't meet my needs. P.S.: Gimp may be fine for web output.

[mitcoes]

Everyday you learn a new thing, thanks to you I have just read GIMP is working in this with its migration to GEGL

http://docs.gimp.org/2.6/en/gimp-config-use-gegl.html

http://www.gimp.org/

For v2.6 we made an optional GEGL-based implementation of color adjustment tools, and for upcoming v2.8 we implemented optional projection rendering via GEGL. But nobody really had evaluated the amount of the work to be done in order to finalize this transition. Until just now.

[russofris]

I would happily migrate to Linux only, but there is no professional photo editing solution available on Linux. So I'm kinda stuck with Windows (though I could move to Mac, but that would be really expensive).

While the upfront investment into a Mac would be higher, I assure you that it would balance out in 3-4 years. Ping me if you want to hear the sales pitch. I'd give it here, but it would cause the thread to degenerate into an argument between a guy who has a SoloFlex stored in his attic and a guy with a membership to the YMCA that has never been used. Don't worry though, Macs run Linux just fine.

F

[powerhouse]

mitcoes: Thanks for pointing to this Gimp news. I will try it, but to be honest, there were a lot more things where Gimp could improve. I did use Gimp for the occasional web stuff, though.

russofris: To be honest (hope I don't get flamed here), I thought about Mac. I've already placed the order for the PC and I sincerely hope I won't regret it. I write this on a Macbook, by the way.

A Mac would be almost perfect (I still prefer Linux over the Mac OS), but it would cost me almost twice as much. And I wasn't sure how to run Linux alongside OS X (Parallels Workstation perhaps?). You are probably right, it would have paid in 3-4 years from now.

Today I learned that the Windows 7 license will cost me a fortune, cause I can't use the OEM license for a VM install .

[Kano]

i don't get the point why OS X would be so much better than Linux as host os. But one thing is definitely wrong in your statement. On the Windows 7 OEM sticker on a pc you get a standard serial you can definitely use for a vm without any hacks. Your W7 preinstall definitely does NOT use this serial but a combination of a bios token (SLIC) together with a certificate matching the SLIC and an OEM serial. The funny thing is that the OEM serial is not bound to the SLIC and you can basically use any OEM serial, that means you can even use anytime upgrade to change the serial to ultimate (even on a netbook with starter). The whole W7 protection is useless, therefore MS wants to use different OEM serials for EACH system and not for every vendor together with W8. The result will be that you have to enter the serial from your sticker (unlogical because it is no oem serial) or the vendor has to "boot" the system and enter it for you instead of just cloning the hd. Not sure if all vendors are happy about that For testing i definitely prefer using W8 CP, much less trouble...

[russofris]

i don't get the point why OS X would be so much better than Linux as host os.

The simple answer is "workflow". It's just easier, faster, straight forward, and the fruits of my labor look better. See if you can throw together a Hackintosh for a week or two with iLife/iWork (beg/borrow/steal).

The drawback is that there are fewer ways to customize any particular workflow. The other downside is having to learn to accept that the previous workflow you used was completely wrong. Switching to an iMac hurt my pride more than my wallet.

[Kano]

When you think of iLife/iMovie then you definitely will miss Bluray support. No mac has got a BD. When you want to use more professional tools wine should be enough. I think google payed for wine support of those apps, you can even run office with wine.

http://wiki.winehq.org/AdobePhotoshop

I don't get the point whats to great about those simple iLife/iWork tools... Maybe try picasa or digikam instead of iPhoto. gimp seems to be overkill to replace it. Also iWork seems to be a wrong choice, most likely less users than LibreOffice. Most pro apps can be used using wine, of course not those beginner apps which are mac only. If wine pure is too complicated for you try cxoffice. Usually pure wine can run the same apps, you just get a simple gui around it. I only use winetricks...

[elanthis]

Cloud streaming games are designed to steal consumer rights and destroy the homebrew mod scene.

It's very much something many consumers want. It removes the need for any kind of expensive hardware; in fact, OnLive is in works to have the service integrated with many TV set (e.g., like Netflix and Hulu and so on have already done). That means that in the near future, many gamers will be able to play AAA PC-quality games without needing to drop a cent on extra hardware besides a controller (either on OnLive controller or a keyboard/mouse). Even if you get a separate OnLive box, it's far more portable than an XBox or LAN PC or so on and doesn't require you to tote around a bunch of discs or wires or cables, so if you're on vacation visiting family or something you don't have to give up your games while you're away. And while many publishers don't (yet) support it, OnLive also allows trials and rentals of games for people who just want to try something out before committing to it.

I know that the OnLive folks are working on mod support, as well. They absolutely want to support it, because for many games the modding community makes the games _tons_ of money, and the folks are OnLive are of course gamers themselves and want all the cool features they can manage.