XGL or Eat This, Vista

[RoyGBiv]

WALTHAM, Mass.—07 Feb 2006—Novell today announced it has released significant enhancements to the Xgl (X over OpenGL) graphics subsystem, which will let developers create richer graphical experiences for Linux* desktop users. Xgl is new core rendering technology for the Linux desktop that takes advantage of now widely available accelerated 3D rendering hardware. These enhancements make Linux desktops more usable, increase end-user productivity and more firmly position Linux at the forefront of client computing technology.

“The release of Xgl and the accompanying 'Compiz' compositing/window manager puts Linux at the forefront of desktop graphics capabilities among all operating systems,” said Nat Friedman, Novell vice president of Linux desktop engineering. “Open source developers can now use their creativity to build new special effects and user interface paradigms as plug-ins to Xgl/Compiz. No other platform gives you this capability. Novell is a key contributor to the next generation of Linux platform innovation.”

Under the leadership of engineer David Reveman, Novell has sponsored the effort to develop the Xgl graphics subsystem to benefit both hardware vendors and software developers, and thus end users. Novell's release of Compiz enables developers to easily create graphical effects plug-ins which deliver rich visual effects, including transparency and advanced animation. For the first time, open source developers have the ability to easily add industry-standard effects like transparency and window animations to the Linux desktop, supported on the broadest possible set of hardware.

http://www.novell.com/news/press/item.jsp?contentid=10d970288b049010VgnVCM10000024f64189____

It's still very much in the testing phase, but it'll be available for use/testing in SUSE 10.1. It's already in the Betas for 10.1, but I don't recommend them except for very experienced users.

Videos and Screenshots:

http://www.novell.com/linux/xglrelease/

[Solon]

1. Already neatly packaged for Ubuntu Dapper release as well...

I ran it on my computer, surprisingly easy to run, set up a simple shell script, apt-get the packages, and modified the gnome-session.conf-custom file. It runs OK on my computer, but it is an older computer with an Athlon XP 1.250 GHz and an 128MB Nvidia card. The effects and everything were smooth except for one thing, MOVIES, they were practically slideshows, I think its part the fact that you have to choose the proper renderer for the video and also my hardware is OLD! Also, latest drivers for your cards 8178 in my case, is a must!

[RoyGBiv]

2. Thanks for the report ...

On a side note, I need to set up an Ubuntu install. I keep hearing wonderful things.

Anyway, I may have missed it, but I didn't see the specs on the computer they used for the demos, and that would seem like an important bit of info. From reading the forums, I'm gathering you want at least an Nvidia 6600 128M to keep everything running smooth, i.e. it's not so much the video memory as the number of pipes and the GPU speed that are essential. Also important, it would seem, is the version of OpenGL your video supports. (I'm guessing here, but this seems logical.)

Whatever the requirements, it still takes away from some of the marketing hype that will soon be issuing forth from MS regarding Vista. I'm not sure what illness inspires a person to do this, beyond proving a point I guess, but I ran across a screenshot yesterday of a Linux system that had been skinned and modded out the wazoo so that it appeared as a Vista machine without close inspection. Shot isn't there anymore, or I'd link to it. I dunno if he got threatened or just took it down for general purposes.

[Solon]

3. Note before you get an Ubuntu Release...

First, the current STABLE version is Breezy Badger(Yes they have cute names for these versions), or version 5.10(Released October of 2005). Anyways, I'm using the currently unstable beta testing of Dapper Drake, that's version 6.04(Will be released April, 2006), its the one with XGL and Compiz availuable in its repositories. Breezy is extremely stable, Dapper not so much, and I like living bleeding edge. Right now XGL isn't ready for prime time on most hardware, yet. However, there will be a time when even Project Looking Glass won't seem like a waste of resources. Also, getting XGL to work under Breezy is a little more complicated, I know, I tried it. Ubuntu, to me at least, is like Windows, as far as difficulty of setting it up and stuff, but without MOST of the hassles, no obscure 30 digit numbers to type in, no activation needed, and no scratching around for bloody driver disks either.

Right now I'm debating whether to upgrade to an Athlon64 or not with Ubuntu 64bit, or just running the processor in 32bit mode with standard x86 Ubuntu. More software, still, with 32 bit, but like I said, I like living bleeding edge.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. You know I have to keep my laptop

as a duuble install, Linux (Suse) Win box. I have a couple programs that DO NOt play well with others (and I need to use them for game design). Now I wish I could configure WINE to run well on my puter... for at lesat ONE of these proggies will play with either cedega or WINE... just tipping my feet in Linux. Also got a copy of Linux that can run out of an USB Tinny Linux, which is capable of doing good thing, I just need to figure uot how to let it run my copy of Open Office (Linux)... as I said, I am just dipping my toes in

[RoyGBiv]

6. 64 Bit ...

Thanks for the info on the versions. I kinda knew it was based on the same kind of release system as Debian (stable, unstable, etc.), and it makes sense that XGL would be in the developmental release. Correct me if my wrong here, but my limited understanding of these releases isn't quite like SUSE's system of Alpha, Beta, RC, and release in that the so-called "unstable" version can still be relatively safe to use in a production environment except when you're actually using the bleeding edge apps. This would contrast to Beta version in SUSE that are often very broken in some fundamental ways. The first Beta of 10.1, IIRC, had some basic functionality disabled, like YOU, the update manager. The current Beta won't let you add update repositories...basic stuff. Am I correct in thinking that the "unstable" versions of Ubuntu are more stable than that?

In any case, regarding 64 bit, I'm in the process of collecting parts to build a 64 bit machine myself and am having the same internal debate. So far I am being guided by a comparison of my system (Athlon XP 2800+, overclocked to 2.1GHz, 1 Gig RAM, ATI 9600XT graphics) with a friend's system (Athlon64 3000+ stock speeds, 1 gig, ATI 9250 graphics). He runs the 64 bit version of SUSE 9.3, and I run 32 bit 10.0. Mine out-performs his in every conceivable way. Some of that is due to the difference in the graphics cards, but not much since most of the tests we've run are based in apps that have no graphic output that we run without even starting X. We threw another hard drive in his system and installed the 32 bit version of SUSE 9.3, and his started out-performing mine. IOW, it seemed that running the 64 bit version of the OS actually slowed things down.

Our tests weren't well controlled, just two guys comparing stuff, and so not authoritative, but it was interesting.

[Solon]

7. Actually, surprisingly, Dapper Development release is pretty stable...

A few annoyances that you get with dealing with incomplete software, the repositories actually work. I used this one guy's hack of the update manager, did a clean install of Breezy, with /home put in a separate partition, and then dpkg installed this guy's replacement for the update manager, and ran that, it changes the repositories to dapper's and then performs a dist-upgrade automatically. So far, after a couple of weeks of daily updates, nothing major has come up. A couple of things that did come up I think were from this guys hack of update manager not changing some permissions properly, but my hardware works, boot time is twice as fast as it was in Breezy, and I haven't suffered a crash yet(knock on wood).

[salvorhardin]

5. Sweet!

I love the cube/desktop manager. I've seen stuff like that before, but this is the first time where it actually seems to make sense.

[Deja Q]

8. Simple to set up and run, but it's eyecandy that whittles down the

standard display. (I lost the ability to modify the skins; window dressing...)

Blazingly fast, but I prefer my standard 2D...


Athlon T-Bred 2100 @ 2700
NVIDIA GeForce 5900+ 128MB RAM
1.5GB RAM (DDR-SDRAM)
Nforce2 Mobo
SuSE Linux 10.1

[RoyGBiv]

9. True enough ...

It is basically just eye-candy. I messed with it some and found a couple situations that it was nice, particularly the transparency functions, which seem to work better here than they do in the mods that allow it on KDE.

Of course, it is just an alpha. My assumption -- perhaps incorrect -- is that the more advanced and stable it becomes, the more you'll be able to do with it.