Re: Why run xserver on the OpenGL API?

On Tue, 2003-11-25 at 12:10, Jon Smirl wrote:

> Don't underestimate the impact Microsoft is going to have on PC shipments
> starting in 2006. Longhorn is going to require 3D hardware. The MS hardware
> evangelism group, which puts out those little approved to run windows logos, is
> going to force every PC vendor out there to include 3D hardware is every PC sold
> that ships with Windows installed (99.99% of PCs). The big implication of this
> is that office PCs and laptops are all going to start shipping with 3D hardware
> standard.

To pick a nit; I agree with the general sentiment.

Thankfully, Microsoft's market share isn't that high....

The number is probably around 98% of PC's; Linux on low end
desktops/laptops is probably around 2%.

Until recently, you were probably correct that 99.99% of PC's were
paying the Redmond tax; this is no longer true.  HP, for example,
now ships desktops with Linux pre-installed and has shipped
workstation machines with Linux pre-installed for two years.

> 
> So, for no reason that has anything to do with us or Linux, 3D hardware is going
> to be pervasive in the future. The simple question is, does xserver want to take
> advantage of this?
> 

One way or the other, we must...

> If you answer yes, then given the lead times in coverting apps to new APIs, we
> really should have started last year. Linux is already going to be late with a
> Longhorn response, but how late do we want it to be?
> 

I don't think the apps themselves change very much: the toolkits
and base systems are a different story.
                             - Jim
-- 
Jim Gettys <[email protected]>
HP Labs, Cambridge Research Laboratory