linux-kernel - Re: Gaming and the kernel

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Message-ID: <501C7225.5060405@spin.net.au>
Date:	Sat, 04 Aug 2012 10:51:49 +1000
From:	Chris Jones <chrisjones@...n.net.au>
To:	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
CC:	david@...g.hm
Subject: Re: Gaming and the kernel

On 04/08/12 10:32, david@...g.hm wrote:
> On Sat, 4 Aug 2012, Chris Jones wrote:
>
>> On 04/08/12 08:44, Cruz Julian Bishop wrote:
>>> On 04/08/12 08:12, Chris Jones wrote:
>>>> There's a lot of attention at the moment focused toward Linux and 
>>>> the future of gaming support on the platform. And it got me 
>>>> thinking, is there any particular improvements that are planned to 
>>>> improve the kernel from better support for gaming?
>>
>> It's hard to describe what I mean. Basically, to the outside world 
>> via media, it is presented as "Valve is taking gaming to Linux. Wow, 
>> Linux is now capable of gaming!" That's all fine and everything. But 
>> we need to ensure that the kernel and all other aspects of code under 
>> our control is up to the task of handling a massive dump of games for 
>> Linux. Otherwise, it's going to backfire on us and Linux overall. 
>> It's moving very quickly.
>
> Other than drivers, what problems do you think that the Linux kernel 
> has in supporting games?
>
> Drivers are bad due to the video card vendors opting to not provide 
> the information needed for them to be good, so while I wish they were 
> better, I don't really see anything for the "Linux kernel community" 
> to do.
>
> David Lang

Well you are right I guess. There really is nothing technically wrong 
with the kernel in its current state. And there probably isn't really an 
essential to-do list, so to speak. But I guess I know that we know this 
because we're all developers. However, if new gamers move to Linux and 
find they're experience is not the same as their experience was when 
gaming under Windows, then the eventual blame-game will fall back on us. 
The kernel developers. Even though the responsibility lies with video 
card and hardware developers.

I guess I am just a little concerned that it might not be a smooth and 
happy introduction as Valve is making out. However, if Valve handle this 
correctly and provide the gamer community with enough information and 
documentation, hopefully things will work out. And this might actually 
be the kick in the rear-end that AMD and NVIDIA need to get into gear 
and start developer some useful and Windows equivalent hardware drivers 
for ALL their cards for Linux.

Regards

-- 
         Chris Jones @ kernel.devproject@...il.com
also on oracle.kerneldev@...il.com and netbsd.kerneldev@...il.com

Ubuntu 12.04 (PC)|Android (Smartphone)|Windows 7 (Laptop)|Windows XP (Gaming)
Linux kernel developer|Solaris kernel developer|BSD kernel developer|Lead Developer of SDL|Lead Developer of Nest Linux|Gamer and Emulator nut|Web Services|Digital Imaging Services
Controllers: Rapier V2 Gaming mouse|Logitech Precision|PS3 controller|XB360 controller|Logitech Attack 3 j/stick
Emulators: Fusion|Gens|ZSNES|Project64|PCSX-R|Stella|WinVICE|WinUAE|DOSBox

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