Intel Next-Gen OSS Drivers Out!

[Michael]

Intel also announced a new site @ http://intellinuxgraphics.org/

The Intel Open Source Technology Center graphics team is pleased to announce the immediate availability of free software drivers for the Intel? 965 Express Chipset family graphics controller. These drivers include support for 2D and 3D graphics features for the newest generation Intel graphics architecture.

As with any free software project, this release represents only the beginning of an ongoing commitment by Intel to work with the X.org and Mesa communities to continuously improve and enhance the drivers. While these drivers represent significant work at both Tungsten Graphics and Intel?as our first release of this code?they're still in need of significant testing, tuning, and bug fixing before they will be ready for production use. We're releasing them now to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to providing free software drivers for Intel hardware.

Some of my comments about Intel's new drivers today can be found in a CNET article due out any minute, and right now I am working on some benchmarks of these new drivers for Phoronix.

Feel free to discuss.

[[Knuckles]]

This is great!

If it works nicely, I think I'll start to leave out 'nvidia gpu' on the list of requirements for my new laptop.

Looking forward to those benchmarks and hearing how it works with xgl/aiglx.

[Rob Williams]

Grats on the quote on C|Net Michael... that's awesome. Good to see Intel caring about Linux... even to go as far as a dedicated domain. Good stuff.

[Michael]

Originally Posted by Rob Williams

Grats on the quote on C|Net Michael... that's awesome. Good to see Intel caring about Linux... even to go as far as a dedicated domain. Good stuff.

Thanks, I do some consulting for CNET from time-to-time. I am also working on possibly an interview with the head of Intel's Linux Graphics department in the next coming days and I am also working on some other information to pass along as well.

[Michael]

No benchmarks in this article (ET was also laggy), but a few thoughts were shared, and AIGLX was tested... http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=7148

If there are any specific items you would like more information on or tests, just post.

[Rob Williams]

Oh ok, I had no idea. Seriously cool though

In the last picture there, what's that breaking apart effect? Is that the video driver screwing up when you were trying to test out a game?

I am not that knowledgable on integrated video at all, but what was the option prior to these drivers? Were you able to play games without it before, and is the performance better or worse with an official driver? I look forward to reading your findings.

[Michael]

The artifacts in the first and third pictures is from the breaking effect when closing windows in AIGLX.

Intel's Linux drivers have been open-source for a while. Today's announcement is basically that it's updated, supports 965 Express, and has a dedicated website. Previously, the results were similar using the i915 and Enemy Territory.

[User_Program]

@ Michael

I'm intrested in what type of performance does the 965 Express have? In comparison to Nvidia and ATI. Is it safe to say that it will be able to play ut2004 and other games of the like?

Being that the 915G (Grantsdale) came out in 2004 have they improved on this ? Also is this just a linux related issue of the 915G and getting bad gameplay. Sorry I just found your news about this and am just learning. I never knew there was an open source alternative for GPU's

Though none the less this is great news thanks!

[R3MF]

let's hope this weighs on AMD/ATI's mind.............

[Michael]

The Intel 915G uses the GMA 900 while the 965 Express uses the GMA 3000. The 965 Express should technically be able to support Unreal Tournament 2004, but I have yet to try it myself (though I will when time permits).