Optimus support for Linux

[dk75]

At this point - yes.
But... no one ordered manufacturer to not include hardware mixer in between Intel and nVidia and connect nVidia as coprocessor only, for cost cutting... no one.
And no one ordered them to invent so strange and genuine ways to manage this hardware with software.
Couldn't it to be standardised? Like standard ACPI registers for switching? But no, every one must kick out, already opened door.

[Mecasickle]

I think the best way to approach this for both Nvidia and the Linux Community is this:

Nvidia would kindly offer a $5000 bounty for the first team/ person who can hack the driver and find a solution for this Optimus and Linux Coexistence. (Thumbs up for the guys who progressed technology by hacking the 'Kinect' with a similar competition).

Now, if this isn't possible, Nvidia is really messing up with the Linux users. I mean I'm personally a Computer Vision & AI researcher, and I've seen a lot of universities use Nvidia graphics cards for their computations, simulations, programs. If Nvidia doesn't take action fast, I wouldn't be suprised that another Graphics card company rises and steals the linux 'Research focused' market share. That although linux is free, we are talking about millions of dollars of advanced research centers using linux just for the Nvidia Tesla products. (I haven't searched on Tesla Graphics cards with Optimus, but Oh Lord, please do not make this happen).

I do not intend to threat Nvidia, (if they feel that they have I apologize) , but rather to make them realize the big shot they're missing. It's an important wake up call, and the time for their downfall might be coming! (Remember IBM )

[winton]

Originally Posted by Mecasickle

I think the best way to approach this for both Nvidia and the Linux Community is this:

Nvidia would kindly offer a $5000 bounty for the first team/ person who can hack the driver and find a solution for this Optimus and Linux Coexistence. (Thumbs up for the guys who progressed technology by hacking the 'Kinect' with a similar competition).

Now, if this isn't possible, Nvidia is really messing up with the Linux users. I mean I'm personally a Computer Vision & AI researcher, and I've seen a lot of universities use Nvidia graphics cards for their computations, simulations, programs. If Nvidia doesn't take action fast, I wouldn't be suprised that another Graphics card company rises and steals the linux 'Research focused' market share. That although linux is free, we are talking about millions of dollars of advanced research centers using linux just for the Nvidia Tesla products. (I haven't searched on Tesla Graphics cards with Optimus, but Oh Lord, please do not make this happen).

I do not intend to threat Nvidia, (if they feel that they have I apologize) , but rather to make them realize the big shot they're missing. It's an important wake up call, and the time for their downfall might be coming! (Remember IBM )

If you're talking about research, what exactly do you need optimus for if you're doing research?

[Mecasickle]

I don't need Optimus for research ... but almost all the cheap Nvidia cards for CUDA acceleration are using Optimus, thus making it impossible (as appears on previous threads that you can't install an nvidia driver on a linux machine with the gfx-cards that already have Optimus technology) for me to do my work using OpenCV + CUDA on Linux.

I have an alienware m11x-R2 and bought it 3 months ago, becuase of its high efficency computing power and its portability, so that I dont have to use a netbook and a desktop, with all my programs spoiled around...

[winton]

You can install nvidia drivers with "optimus" technology. From what I understand its not even a hardware driven process its based on software so there shouldn't be any difficulty in using your video card. It'll just always be on since there's no optimus implementation in linux.

As far as research is concerned, why not use windows for your coding? Programming is programming it shouldn't matter what OS you're in. It seems to me like you're complaining to just to complain.......

[bones_was_here]

[Mecasickle]

Originally Posted by winton

You can install nvidia drivers with "optimus" technology. From what I understand its not even a hardware driven process its based on software so there shouldn't be any difficulty in using your video card. It'll just always be on since there's no optimus implementation in linux.

As far as research is concerned, why not use windows for your coding? Programming is programming it shouldn't matter what OS you're in. It seems to me like you're complaining to just to complain.......

"It'll just always be on since there's no optimus implementation in linux."
Yes I know it will be on, consuming my battery, without using it for computation purposes (on linux). But I need the compatible Nvidia Optimus-linux-driver, as well as many other guys on this forum in the present and more in the future, with a CUDA driver for parallel processing, (maybe others need it for high resolution graphics or video games).

"Programming is programming it shouldn't matter what OS you're in."
l agree. However, most top researchers use Linux for compiling and running their codes. (Yes supercomputers also use Linux) Reasons? I'm really not sure, i'll guess because its virus free, has a rich knowledable communitty, and other reasons I'm probably missing out.

Maybe I am over whining, but nvidia has to take this Optimus-Linux tech comptability seriously. And as I mentioned before, If they aren't planning on doing it in the present, then offering a Bounty prize for software developers wouldn't do any harm.

[billkaos]

Dear NVIDIA,

I've been a NVIDIA user from TNT2 (having owned 3dfx gear earlier) up to this day.

This has been possible because nvidia stuff did always run well on Linux (ok, the occasional glitch happened). I exclusively use Linux, so if I have to bought some computer and NVIDIA products cannot run *well* in Linux, I'll be forced to switch brands.

Would be such a pity to ruin NVIDIA's good historical support for Unix users, from the beginning and roots of the company itself.

[dk75]

Originally Posted by Mecasickle

And as I mentioned before, If they aren't planning on doing it in the present, then offering a Bounty prize for software developers wouldn't do any harm.

Bounty prize alone without drivers source code won't do any good.
But then, nVidia can't reveal it's source code for many reasons.
And nVidia can't write new Linux gfx driver from scratch even if Xorg will be corrected (or for Wayland) so it won't run simultaneously with Intel driver (which is needed now with cheap Optimus implementations).

The only solution here is to press laptops manufacturer to include hardware gfx output mixer and an option in BIOS to switch to discrete graphics permanently.

Originally Posted by Mecasickle

If Nvidia doesn't take action fast, I wouldn't be suprised that another Graphics card company rises and steals the linux 'Research focused' market share.

Pure OpenGL based chip would be nice...

[michou63]

Avec le prix que coûte vos putins de carte graphique vous auriez quand même pu faire un effort, c'est votre métier quand même, merde !!!

With the price of your ****ing graphics card you would have made an effort for the linux community, it is your job anyway, ****!

[amartin83]

Well, this my be only my personal satisfaction, but after nvidia pis..ed on me by not supporting Optimus on Linux, they lost maby not enough to feel it stright away, but a lot graphic cards for my clients, friends and university. Shame that nvidia wants that but since it doesn't care about clients then here you go It may be around 100 cards in total that people choosed competition insted nvidia (PC and laptops) in about 2 months I know about. But I gotta filling I'm not the only one who is counting this (and helping people choose a good, working graphic card diffrent than nvidia). Thanks nvidia for my not-working-graphic card.

[Deanjo]

Originally Posted by amartin83

Well, this my be only my personal satisfaction, but after nvidia pis..ed on me by not supporting Optimus on Linux, they lost maby not enough to feel it stright away, but a lot graphic cards for my clients, friends and university. Shame that nvidia wants that but since it doesn't care about clients then here you go It may be around 100 cards in total that people choosed competition insted nvidia (PC and laptops) in about 2 months I know about. But I gotta filling I'm not the only one who is counting this (and helping people choose a good, working graphic card diffrent than nvidia). Thanks nvidia for my not-working-graphic card.

Given that nvidia didn't hesitate to quit making even AMD motherboard chipsets do you really think that they will care about maybe if you are lucky < .1% of users that use a OS that has ~2 % marketshare? Especially when there is going to be a viable complete Nvidia portable platform with Tegra?