The Intel Linux Discrete GPU Driver Updated -- For Their Two Decade Old i740

While we are all super anxious to learn more about the Intel discrete graphics card offerings planned for their initial debut in 2020, in representing the beauty of open-source, there was an open-source Linux display driver update on Thursday for their "original" discrete card: the Intel740.

Yesterday marked the xf86-video-i740 1.4.0 driver release, the open-source X.Org driver that supports the original Intel 740 display hardware as Intel's only released discrete graphics chip up to this point. That was two decades ago, but in showing the possibilities by open-source software, there's this new display driver release.

Granted, it'll be very rare to find an Intel 740 still in use today, but should you want to, this new driver release will compile fine with the modern Linux software components albeit still be limited to user-space mode-setting and not be of much use for today's monitors and desktop computing needs.

The xf86-video-i740 1.4.0 release clears up some compiler issues for the driver with today's compiler toolchains and has some other basic maintenance updates.

While we anxiously wait to learn more about Intel's future dGPU plans, to reminisce, the i740 was fabbed on a 350nm process, utilized AGP, and had around 0.8 GB/s memory bandwidth. At least we know Intel understands the value of open-source and their upcoming discrete graphics cards are hopefully going to be greeted by the same level of stellar open-source driver support as we've seen out of Intel in the past number of years with their modern integrated graphics offerings. Exciting times ahead for open-source Linux desktop users and gamers!