Re: SiS video cards and GNOME 3

[Bastien Nocera <hadess hadess net>]

On Sat, 2010-10-16 at 11:19 -0300, Jonh Wendell wrote:
> Hi, folks.
> 
> As some of you might already know, the average computer in Brazil is
> shipped with SiS video card. Which doesn't have a proper X driver. So,
> most people in Brazil will not be able to run gnome-shell. They will
> simply not feel the GNOME 3 experience. (this includes myself, btw).
> 
> The answer "buy a better hardware" just doesn't work here. We're talking
> about a development country (3rd world...).
> 
> The fallback for gnome-shell is just to stick with gnome panel/metacity,
> which means GNOME 2 experience.
> 
> I really feel bad about this. In every conversation I have, people keep
> asking/complaining about this issue.
> 
> So, I'm wondering if the Foundation could, somehow, help in this area.
> Two ideas came up (not mutually exclusive):
> 
> 1) Fund someone to writer a proper X org driver for SiS cards
> 2) Talk to SiS to solve the problem
> 
> Ideas, suggestions?

Given the statements at:
http://ncc-1701a.homelinux.net/~linux-sis/index.php?page=Preface
and the statements that used to be on Thomas Winischhofer's page (that
page has disappeared now), you're better off talking to SiS directly,
and making it clear that they will be made irrelevant in the Linux
desktop business if they don't change their ways.

I don't think it's up to GNOME to ensure that decent 3D drivers are
available for each and every video cards available.

The only thing that I can advise you is:
- Contact SiS yourself about this
- Advertise the fact that SiS based machines aren't suitable for Linux
desktop usage
- If you have a desktop machine, buy a supported card to put in it.

If the latter isn't an option, the "classic" desktop will still be
available on GNOME 3, and I would encourage you, and the others with the
same problem, to focus on making it solid whilst waiting for better
hardware, or better drivers.

Cheers