DailyTech - NVIDIA is Working on Optimus Support for Linux Users

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Hardware NVIDIA is Working on Optimus Support for Linux Users
Shane McGlaun (Blog) - September 5, 2012 9:18 AM

14 comment(s) - last by RyuDeshi.. on Sep 6 at 1:11 AM

Angry geek is angry (Linus Torvalds pictured)

Will Torvalds rescind his F You NVIDIA?

If you're a fan of the Linux operating system, undoubtedly you know that Linux creator Linus Torvalds went Cee Lo Green on NVIDIA last year and was pictured giving the graphics firm the finger. Earlier this year NVIDIA joined the Linux Foundation, but so far the key feature many Linux users wanted -- Optimus -- has remained out of reach for Linux fans.

Torvalds said at the time, "NVIDIA has been one of the worse trouble spot we've had with hardware manufacturers. And that is really sad because NVIDIA tries to sell chips, a lot of chips into the Android market. And NVIDIA has been the single worst company we've ever dealt with. So NVIDIA f—k you!"

PC World now reports that an email from NVIDIA engineer named Aaron Plattner surfaced recently that stated NVIDIA was working on adding Optimus support for Linux machines.

“I've been experimenting with support for Dave Airlie's new RandR 1.4 provider object interface, so that Optimus-based laptops can use our driver to drive the discrete GPU and display on the integrated GPU,” Plattner wrote in the email.

He also added, "The good news is that I've got a proof of concept working."

NVIDIA isn't offering an open source driver; it will remain proprietary. However, support for Optimus technology will certainly be a big deal to Linux users. There is no timeframe on when Optimus support will be offered. For all we know at this point Plattner may be the only person working on bringing support at NVIDIA.

Once a Linux driver from NVIDIA supporting Optimus launches, users will be able to enjoy the extra battery life and the ability to switch the discrete GPU inside the computer on and off when needed. Optimus technology in Windows machines can have a significant impact on battery life, which is very important for mobile workers.

Source: PC World

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Who is this for?

By tayb on 9/5/2012 2:45:30 PM , Rating: 1

Linux commands approximately 1.5% of the desktop market. Of that 1.5% there is a small fraction that is running capable nVidia hardware. Of that fraction there is a fraction of people who actually care about optimus. And of that fraction is a fraction of people who would actually alter a future buying decision based on this. Their target is a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of 1.5%. Why are they even spending time or resources on this??

RE: Who is this for?

By FastEddieLB on 9/5/2012 2:52:01 PM , Rating: 1

With Windows 8 on the horizon a number of people will be looking elsewhere for their OS and Linux is about all they've got. With a rise in the number of Linux users the support of mainstream software on Linux will increase, NVidia is thinking along these lines and preparing.

That's my theory anyway

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RE: Who is this for?

By solarrocker on 9/5/2012 4:21:02 PM , Rating: 3

That... Or they just stay with Windows 7 and be happy, like more people.

My Theory..

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RE: Who is this for?

By solarrocker on 9/5/2012 4:21:44 PM , Rating: 2

more == most;

Where be my edit button!

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RE: Who is this for?

By CZroe on 9/5/2012 4:49:08 PM , Rating: 2

Not as bad as DailyTech's so-called "quote" of Torvalds. Worse != worst.

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RE: Who is this for?

By CZroe on 9/5/2012 4:47:55 PM , Rating: 2

Here's why: I have an Optimus-capable machine. I won't install Linux on it because it would increase my charge cycles and wear out my battery significantly faster. I am essentially locked in Windows despite being interested in Linux. It may not influence current users significantly, but their response will influence my NEXT purchase and it may influence many others.

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RE: Who is this for?

By phatboye on 9/5/2012 6:35:39 PM , Rating: 4

I think you are missing the entire point. nVidia, by not releasing an Optiumus enabled driver and other companies like nvidia who refuse to work with the open source/Linux community are partially the reason why there is such a low desktop Linux market.

Here is the kicker though, nVidia does not have to lift a finger to get Optimus support in Linux, if they would just release the technical specs of how it works (both Intel and AMD release their specs) the open source community would write their own open source drivers. The fact that they don't even release the hardware specs is what really pisses of the open source community.

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RE: Who is this for?

By RyuDeshi on 9/6/2012 1:11:49 AM , Rating: 2

Despite wanting a mid-range graphics card for my laptop in case I wanted to do light gaming, I opted for HD 4000 graphics. I knew I would be running Fedora the majority of the time and didn't want to kill my battery life.

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Not that big of a deal

By bug77 on 9/5/2012 10:26:31 AM , Rating: 3

Of the few percent of Linux users, a few percent has an Optimus capable laptop. Even OSS costs money to develop, so it's not a stretch to imagine nvidia has to think ROI before adding support.
But yes, it's nice to know some users will be able to use their laptop 100%.

RE: Not that big of a deal

By Ammohunt on 9/5/2012 2:47:48 PM , Rating: 2

Um thats counter-intuitive why wouldn't they write a driver or release the documentation to support someone else writing a driver for them for their products? it means more market share! Linus was right to give them the bird if nothing else to help them realize their own stupidity.

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RE: Not that big of a deal

By bug77 on 9/5/2012 6:20:18 PM , Rating: 2

They are writing a driver, now that the effort needed has become more reasonable.
Documentation is a bit more complicated. You can't just dump a PDF on your web site and be done with it. You need to offer some level of support on top of that and support costs money.
And do the math: a few percent of optimus capable laptops out of a few percent of users using Linux on their laptops isn't really more market share - it could be about 100,000 users worldwide.

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RE: Not that big of a deal

By fredgiblet on 9/5/2012 6:47:06 PM , Rating: 2

The marketshare you're talking about is miniscule. The amount of effort involved in writing a driver for it will not make the money back. This is especially true if they plan to support more than one distro. Even releasing the specs comes with a cost, albeit a much smaller one.

They would be far better off financially pursuing the Mac market and it would probably cost them similar amounts as well. I say this as someone who would use Linux well before Mac.

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"recent"?

By Old_Fogie_Late_Bloomer on 9/5/2012 9:50:55 AM , Rating: 2

I'm pretty sure you meant "rescind", not "recent".

I just bought a laptop with Optimus that I'm planning to put Linux on at some point, so I hope this comes to fruition sometime soon.

Optimus support already available with Bumblebee

By kamiller422 on 9/5/2012 9:55:37 AM , Rating: 2

I have been using Optimus with Ubuntu for a while with great success using Bumblebee project's software. nVidia support will mean a more seamless experience.
http://bumblebee-project.org/