Subject: Re: [OT] Crazy idea:  Design open-source graphics chip
From: Torrey Hoffman <thoffman@arnor.net>
To: Timothy Miller <miller@techsource.com>
Cc: chakkerz@optusnet.com.au,
       Linux Kernel Mailing List <linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org>
In-Reply-To: <40193136.4070607@techsource.com>
References: <4017F2C0.4020001@techsource.com>
	 <200401291211.05461.chakkerz@optusnet.com.au>
	 <40193136.4070607@techsource.com>
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Date: Thu, 29 Jan 2004 10:06:42 -0800
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On Thu, 2004-01-29 at 08:13, Timothy Miller wrote:

> We cannot compete with Nvidia or ATI or 3Dlabs or Matrox or even S3.
> 
> The real question we have to ask ourselves is, what would be the market 
> demand for a graphics card that is 3 generations behind the state of the 
> art and over-priced, the only advantage being that it's a 100% open 
> architecture?

I think I can do better than that by buying two-generation-behind cards
off EBay.  

The older Matrox, ATI, etc. cards have complete driver documentation
(AFAIK) or at least are very well supported by completely open Linux /
XFree86 drivers.  

You can get a Matrox Millenium G400 on EBay right now for under $20.  Or
an ATI 7500 for under $30.

So, as cool as an open-source graphics chip would be, I think if you
can't manufacture a complete AGP card with your new chip for less than
$30, and better performance than those parts...  don't bother.


-- 
Torrey Hoffman <thoffman@arnor.net>

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