[arch-general] New 64 bit computer

[David C. Rankin]

Baho Utot wrote:

>>
>> 	I have a standard solution I now employ with all ATI desktop graphics cards
>> that really works well. Open the case, remove the retaining screw for the card,
>> remove the card, and then put an NVidia card in its place just a fast as you
>> can. You can use the ATI card for target practice or a paper weight thereafter.
>> With that done, you no longer run the risk of getting screwed over by ATI
>> dropping Linux support for your card just like the millions of other ATI users
>> that just got screwed in March ;-)
> 
> No thanks on the nvidia... I like AMD and ATI.  I'll see what I can do
> to make it work
> 
> Thanks for the info
> 

Oh,

	Don't get me wrong, I love my ATI cards too. I have 8-9 boxes running 
ATI cards. (3 of those are my kids which have excelled X800 PE cards 
w/GDDR3 that make great use of older hardware and will blow past the 
nvidia 9500 cards in a heartbeat. GPU performance isn't a numbers game. See:

http://www.3111skyline.com/hardware/graphics.php

	What I am pissed at AMD/ATI for is dropping all Linux driver support 
for all cards sold before 2007 (Everything before the 2400 series). This 
screwed a lot of loyal ATI users over and left a real bad taste in my 
mouth. Think about all the 9600, 9700, 9800, x800, x850, x1600, x1650, 
and x1800 ATI cards (many recently sold) where the users are just 
screwed. (9.3 was the "last" driver release for these cards and for 
"many", the 9.3 driver is broken)

	For my money, I'll by the NVidia 9600GT or better going forward. Good 
driver support and no hassle driver installs. Since ATI botched its 
legacy driver, I am limited to running installs with Xorg 7.3 or earlier 
to maintain ATI fglrx driver compatibility with my hardware in my 
laptop. ATI RS690M (X1200). The 8-9 release (Ver. 8.532) is the last ATI 
driver to work correctly with my hardware and it does not support Xorg 7.4.

	For that laptop, I am also running Arch with the radeonhd driver, which 
aside from burns on my left palm -- works fine.

-- 
David C. Rankin, J.D.,P.E.
Rankin Law Firm, PLLC
510 Ochiltree Street
Nacogdoches, Texas 75961
Telephone: (936) 715-9333
Facsimile: (936) 715-9339
www.rankinlawfirm.com