> I am very concerned. I think that the Open Graphics Project is on the
> road to nowhere.
I've been thinking the same thing. :-(
> It's cost/performance ratio will really suck, and that
> really matters.
Yes, value matters.
> I think there is space for an open source hardware graphics card or
> chipset.
Yes.
> The
> final result should implement exactly what X needs, not more or less.
Sounds good.
> I, personally, do not want a 3D card for GUI use at all. I want a GUI
> that works, and works responsively, and smoothly.
Yes.
> I want super smooth
> hardware scrolling. I want updates that are fully synchronised with the
> vertical blank, so that I can actually read a web page with no eye
> strain while it is smooth scrolling. Oh, and I want that to be low
> bandwidth and to require few CPU cycles.
Yes.
> Nowhere in that description do I see "3D" or "OpenGL".
I *still* don't see what the 3D stuff is useful for. Animations, maybe?
> FPGAs are getting
> cheaper and more powerful. Perhaps we should just count on that and use
> it to do things a static ASIC simply can't do?
I thought FPGAs were expensive and power hungry?
> I have a constructive suggestion for what the OGP card should be, but
> will send it in a later email, as I do not want it to be mixed in with
> this discussion.
I look forward to reading it.
=====================
Start with actual requirements.
I see three basic categories of things a graphics/video chip might
do:
1) "desktop" apps
X window manager
xterm
web browsers
image viewers (xv, gs/gv/xpdf, ...)
xfig, CAD
gimp
2) video
1080p
sync with audio
hardware assist for mpeg2ts
3) gaming
more is never enough
Last I heard, OGP wasn't planning to attempt the gaming market,
at least not for the first generation. Not practical to try
to compete with ATI/Nvidia the first time out. I agree.
I don't see anything in desktop or video that needs 3D.
OGP has been planning on supplying "some" 3D capability,
and from what I've been reading, even this limited 3D
is going to take forever to design.
What if we scrap 3D completely for the first generation and
concentrate on desktop and video?
Potential areas for advantage:
open source (duh)
good for high resolution displays (e.g. dual-link DVI)
high color depth, accurate colors, calibration
low power ( ->low heat ->no fan ->quiet & reliable)
good video (Nvidea is weak here)
connect via Ethernet, Firewire/1394, or USB instead of a slot
Ethernet-to-video bridge useful for home theater,
put noisy computer in another room.
Same for audio (recording or playback).
Also useful for office.
allows multiple displays without needing multiple slots
independent of slot type (PCI vs PCIe vs ...)
support for any display type (CRT, LCD, ...) any sync type
(ATI does not support sync-on-green), the mythical 50 Ohm
display, etc.
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