Xgl/compiz is ready!

I tried it again yesterday, from the the latest binaries there =>

Xgl now works perfectly with other cpu-hungry games running on 2nd x
server (switch back and desktop is still responsive!), and you can
rotate desktop by moving mouse to the edges, and better effects and no
more annoying bugs in the compiz-quinn!

You will need gconf-editor to change all the settings, set
/apps/compiz/plugins/trailfocus/screen0/options/maximum_trail_count to
2 for normal transparency, and see
performance tweaking.

Malware Magnet...

I found an easy way to test xgl...
I downloaded the Kororaa live CD from:

Roy Schestowitz...

Its inclusion of several binaries makes it sheer violation the GPL. I know

[H]omer...

From the many, many discussions I've been following on the subject,
AFAICT there is no proof that the "blob" is either linked to nor derived
from the kernel, or any other GPL work. However, *proof* is the problem,
since in it's binary (closed) form, there is no way to tell other than
by guesswork, debugging and taking nVidia's word as faith.

Instead, the FSF and other GPL gurus are taking the "collective works"
tack, which is IMHO a catch all for "anything we are suspicious of".,
i.e. - anything they don't like.

Don't get me wrong; I'm not anti-GPL, but I think there needs to be some
easier way of dealing with binary-only driver distributions, for as long
as those necessary-evil drivers are needed for full hardware functionality.

there are torrents that will keep it alive perpetually, but it comes to show
the importance of Open Source(-friendly) GPU's. There was a very long
discussion about it in COLA only days ago.

Aquila Deus...

It works perfectly for me.

After testing it for a couple of days, I went ahead and installed it on
the hard drive.
This distro is built on Gentoo and works fairly well - just had to mind
the bugs discussed on the Kororaa Web page.

Roy Schestowitz...

XGL is not /truly/ ready for 'prime time'. Even shadows and translucency can
have some quirks and affect stability. The important thing is that the
technology is there, in its productions phase. Bugs are being squashed and
all this next-generation X will continue to evolve. Ultimately, it should
mature to match the stability and predictability of same 'ol Xorg.

My only complaint is emerge complains constantly about dependencies and
masked files. Chaning the /etc/make.conf file and other recommended
settings doesn't seem to have any effect.

Therefore, I had to decide if it was worth my time and effort to pursue
working on this or not. After having xgl running for a while, I find it
extremely difficult to give up!

Stephen Fairchild...

My advice would be to come back when it really is ready in say a years time.
With any luck it will become a fully supported module of Xorg rather than a

Roy Schestowitz...

I am not entirely sure, but doesn't Novell's release of their business server
in July include XGL support 'out of the box' (making it easier than 10.1,
OpenSUSE)? I mean, they did demonstrate this in their recent
presentations... somehow I doubt I'll see XGL adopted in actual businesses
where play is distraction.

[H]omer...

Where a company or even an individual decides to standardise on one
distribution, there will undoubtedly be a range of systems designed for
a range of purposes, some of which will have no need of XGL or even X at
all, but some inevitably will.

This degree of flexibility is necessary for widespread adoption, where
standardisation is perceived as important, particularly from the point
of view of maintenance, so I see no contradiction in a "business"
solution incorporating a degree of "end-user" functionality, regardless
of how "eye-candy" it is. Ultimately, it is up to the sysadmin to decide
what (if anything) is deployed (pending approval from upstairs).

-
K.

Best wishes,

plaything.

Aquila Deus...

It's ready for desktop now. All apps run, opengl works (mplayer w/
gl2), no weird bug, performance is okay, and more reliable than x
compositing, and you can open 2nd x server for games (doesn't affect
xgl anymore).

The Ghost In The Machine...

I'd quibble on some of the apps (e.g., UT2004 can't adjust its gamma or
the fullscreen resolution) but it's darned good otherwise.
Unfortunately, I'm having other problems; xorg-server 1.1 and nvidia
don't want to play nice today.

But it is rather annoying.

I've dumped my seriously-patched xfwm and switched to xgl/compiz-quinn
today!

The Ghost In The Machine...

Not bad, though I think the cube looks silly. But it *does* work.