2011 Linux Graphics Survey Results

[phoronix]

Phoronix: 2011 Linux Graphics Survey Results

In September the 2011 Linux Graphics Survey came to an end, but due to Oktoberfest, AMD Bulldozer Linux testing, OpenBenchmarking.org developments, and other matters, I didn't have time to look at the survey results until this weekend when getting ready for the Ubuntu Developer Summit. Here's the 2011 results looking at what Linux desktop end-users are running when it comes to graphics cards and drivers as well as their key concerns.

http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=16603

[devius]

Just to make things clear that there's nothing "unfortunate" on still using a Matrox gpu. I use it on a basic storage server built from old parts (and a few new ones) where even the Millenium II G200 8MB in there is more than enough to display the command line interface. I mostly just interface with it remotely anyway... I suspect that the others running equally outdated hardware are on a similar situation and don't use these systems for doing much production work.

[AnonymousCoward]

KMS and Gallium3D not getting much interest isn't too surprising since both technologies are now widespread across the open-source drivers (except for the Intel driver still being on classic Mesa) and aren't directly user-facing.

They're not interesting because they're a means to an end. Who except a few technology freaks cares how that's achieved?

There's also a small chunk of people still living off the defunct xf86-video-radeonhd driver for whatever reason, which is surprising since the features now offered by xf86-video-ati certainly surpass this Novell-developed driver.

Surprising? It has "HD" in its name, it has to be good. Or maybe people don't know which driver they use, and assume because they have a Radeon HD they use the radeonhd driver.

The use of GPU compute technologies (OpenCL, CUDA, etc) still is not widespread on Linux. In part this is due to the open-source drivers lacking the compute support.

And in part because they're also a means to an end. Who says "hey, today I'm going to use MMX/SSE/my FPU"? For the mainstream enduser those things only have value once they're transparently integrated and people don't even know they use them.

[Cyborg16]

Be nice to see disper mentioned next time

[deanjo]

Conclusion: nvidia blobs are still the best linux option

[89c51]

Conclusion: nvidia blobs are still the best linux option

if you want to do serious work on your computer

[deanjo]

if you want to do serious work on your computer

Very very true.

[RealNC]

Most users are still running a single display.

"Still" running a single display? Everyone not using at least two monitors is now behind the times, or what? Ever considered that we might not *need* more than one? I have another monitor packed away in the closet, but why the hell would I want to connect it as a second one?

[not.sure]

Interesting to see that most people are actually using compiz. But we never hear about them or compiz itself. It seems contrary to kde/kwin and gnome-* (where we have weekly articles and postings and updates and surveys and stuff) it just works?!

[RealNC]

Interesting to see that most people are actually using compiz.!

How did you come to that conclusion? 2209 people are using Compiz. 3416 people are using something else. So no. "Most people" are not using Compiz, actually.