*BSD News Article 64110


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From: pmcdermo@cs.utexas.edu (Peter F. McDermott)
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.development.apps,comp.os.linux.development.system,comp.os.linux.x,comp.os.linux.hardware,comp.os.linux.setup,comp.unix.bsd.386bsd.misc,comp.unix.bsd.bsdi.misc,comp.unix.bsd.netbsd.misc,comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
Subject: Why to not buy Matrox Millennium
Date: 23 Mar 1996 17:34:09 -0600
Organization: CS Dept, University of Texas at Austin
Lines: 78
Message-ID: <4j21ph$crr@slappy.cs.utexas.edu>
NNTP-Posting-Host: slappy.cs.utexas.edu
Summary: Matrox just doesn't get it
Keywords: Matrox Millennium
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Some companies just don't get it.  Valdimir Vukicevic on the XFree86-3D list 
requested information on Matrox's card (first message) and received the
second message as a reply.  Unless Matrox changes their mind on release of 
information, I suggest no one interested in running a free Unix system 
buy their products. 

-Peter McDermott
pmcdermo@cs.utexas.edu

From Vladimir Vukicevic to Matrox:

Hi, I recently purchased a Matrox Millennium and am very happy with its
performance. However, I would like to be able to take advantage of its
hardware 3D rendering functionality. Unfortunately, the majority of
my work is done using OpenGL under Linux, and currently there are no
implementations of OpenGL that utilize the Millennium's hardware acceleration
under Linux. Moving to Windows NT is a possibility, but it would probably
be more trouble than it's worth for our project.

I am interested in writing a Matrox hardware-accelerated implementation
of an OpenGL-compatible API under Linux. Please let me know the conditions
under which it would be possible for me to receive developers' information
on the MGA-2064W chip. It would also be preferable to have the resulting
work be available in the public domain.

Currently, there is much interest in 3D acceleration under Linux and the
BSD derivatives on the intel platform; the Millennium would be an ideal
platform because of its low cost and excellent performance. Work is
already underway on utilising 3Dlabs' GLiNT chip; work will soon begin
on the Diamond EDGE 3D and Creative Labs' 3D Blaster cards, as well as
a preliminary release of Cirrus Logic's Davinci board.

Please let me know if this is a possibility.

Thanks in advance,

	-- Vladimir Vukicevic
	-- vladimir@intrepid.com
---------------

This is a response I got from matrox to my message, attached below. Their
attitude is one of complete arrogance, and I would urge everyone to
boycott matrox products until they decide to open up their hardware docs.
(Sheesh, it's not like we're asking them for the chip fab designs, just
what bits to stuff where!) I have unfortunately bought a Millennium that
I can't return -- but I will probably be buying a real 3D card sometime
in the future.

	-- Vladimir Vukicevic
	-- vladimir@intrepid.com

------- Forwarded Message

Date: Thu, 21 Mar 1996 14:36:32 -0500
To: Vladimir Vukicevic <vladimir@Intrepid.COM
From: Graphics.Techsupport@Matrox.COM (rs)
Subject: Re: Development information for Matrox Millennium

Unix/Linux drivers & support for all our boards are available from X-Inside
at 303-384-9999. We have a closed architecture chip set. We have the fastest
board on the market. The reason for this is our chip set. We did not create
our own chip set, in which we spent millions of dollars, so that our
competitors can steal our designs. We are not like Cirrus or Diamond that
uses a Generic S3 chip set which every one has the source code. The company
policy is that we can not give any information on our chip sets under a non
disclosure agreement. We have nothing to do with unix/linux. We do not
create the drivers, we do not support the drivers, most of us have never
even seen unix/linux let alone the drivers. If you have any problems with
the drivers, contact X-inside. They do the Drivers, Support. X-Inside can be
reached at 303-384-9999.

RS