[ydl-gen] Slow ibook X11 (2D)

[Warren Nagourney]

Thanks again, Stephen. If I ever reformat my hard disk and add a  
linux partition, I will use your kernel.

I just installed OS X 10.5 on my 800 MHz iBook and was astounded at  
how much zippier and smoother it is than Tiger.  Since Apple's cut- 
off is 867 MHz, I needed to use the leopardassistant to fool the OF  
into thinking I had a 867 MHz machine. In my more paranoid moments, I  
thought that Apple would deliberately cripple later releases of its  
OS to "encourage" people to buy new x86 machines but I was wrong.

This is the problem with linux, in my opinion. Despite being open  
source, the hardware is decidedly closed, particularly the GPU, upon  
which so much of the user experience depends.  Apple has full access  
to the GPU and can use it to speed up video (using "core video") in  
ways that no linux can (even x86 linux). Right now the bottom end  
iBook is a delight to use and the contrast with my former experience  
with linux on it couldn't be more stark. In my opinion, this will  
never change with PPC hardware, which is a tiny niche of a small  
niche. It would be nice if a PPC vendor like Fixstars could fix this,  
but they would need serious cooperation from the GPU manufacturers  
and that is likely not forthcoming (the PS3 linux disaster is a case  
at point).

Cheers,

wn

On Jan 17, 2009, at 8:19 PM, Stephen Harker wrote:

> I should have looked at my notes.  The thing that got accelerated X11
> working on my iBook G4 was building my own kernel.  I built 2.6.27.8
> prior to updating to ydl6.1.  This allowed me to have a common kernel
> on my 7600 and iBook.  With the default kenrel I don't get accelerated
> X11, but with mine I do.  For what it may be worth I attach my
> .config which includes things that won't be useful for most people, I
> started with 'make pmac32_defconig'.
>
> -- 
> Stephen Harker                           s.harker at adfa.edu.au
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