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AMD

Submission + - AMD Releases Open-Source Fusion Driver (phoronix.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: AMD has just released open-source Linux driver support for their Fusion APUs, primarily for the first Ontario processor. As detailed on Phoronix, this includes support for kernel mode-setting, 2D acceleration, and 3D acceleration via both Mesa and Gallium3D graphics drivers.
Sun Microsystems

Submission + - Running ZFS Natively On Linux Not As Fast As Btrfs (phoronix.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: It's been known that ZFS is coming to Linux in the form of a native kernel module done by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories and KQ Infotech. The ZFS module is still in closed testing on KQ infotech's side (but LLNL's ZFS code is publicly available), and now Phoronix has tried out the ZFS file-system on Linux along with carrying out some tests. ZFS on Linux via this native module is much faster than using ZFS-FUSE, but the Solaris file-system in most areas is not nearly as fast as EXT4, Btrfs, and XFS.
Linux

Submission + - 5 Years Of Linux Kernel Releases Benchmarked (phoronix.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Phoronix has published benchmarks of the past five years worth of Linux kernel releases, from the Linux 2.6.12 through Linux 2.6.37 (dev) releases. The results from these benchmarks of 26 versions of the Linux kernel show that in fact for several areas the Linux kernel is not getting slower as more features are added, but rather it's improving with few exceptions.
Games

Submission + - More evidence for Steam games on Linux

Submitted by
SheeEttin
SheeEttin writes: "Back in November 2008, Phoronix reported that Linux libraries appeared in the Left 4 Dead demo (also on Slashdot), and then in March, Valve announced that Steam and the Source engine were coming to Mac OS X
Now, Phoronix reports that launcher scripts included with the (closed beta) Mac version of Steam include explicit support for launching a Linux version."
Power

Submission + - What Chernobyl Looks Like In 2010 (phoronix.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: The editor of Phoronix.com has toured Chernobyl's Zone of Alienation (the 30km zone surrounding the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant) to see what the area still looks like 24 years after the world's largest nuclear disaster. Many photographs from touring Chernobyl in 2010 have now been published and some related text, showing off the power plant and its RBMK reactors, the town of Pripyat, the town of Chernobyl, and the Red Forest. The 24th anniversary of this deadly nuclear disaster will be on April 26.
Debian

Submission + - Benchmarks of Debian GNU/kFreeBSD vs. GNU/Linux (phoronix.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: The Debian Squeeze release is going to be accompanied by a first-rate kFreeBSD port and now early benchmarks of this port have started coming out using daily install images. The Debian GNU/kFreeBSD project is marrying the FreeBSD kernel with a GNU userland and glibc while making most of the Debian repository packages available for kfreebsd-i386 and kfreebsd-amd64. The first Debian GNU/kFreeBSD benchmarks compare the performance of it to Debian GNU/Linux with the 2.6.30 kernel while the rest of the packages are the same. Results are shown for both i386 and x86_64 flavors. Debian GNU/kFreeBSD may be running well, but it has a lot of catching up to do in terms of speed against Linux.
AMD

Submission + - AMD To Develop "Open-Source Friendly" GPUs (phoronix.com)

Submitted by skaroo
skaroo writes: Phoronix is reporting that future AMD GPUs will be more open-source friendly. After AMD started releasing their GPG specifications to the open-source community, questions arose whether there would be information covering their Unified Video Decoder (UVD) found on the Radeon HD 2000 graphics cards. The UVD information is needed in order for hardware-accelerated video playback, but it likely cannot be opened as it's ingrained with DRM. However, an AMD representative said that moving to a modular UVD design is a requirement for future GPUs and that they will be more open-source friendly. They will also be opening the video acceleration information for their earlier graphics cards. A win for the open-source community or too little too late?
Power

Submission + - Ubuntu's Power Consumption Tested (phoronix.com)

Submitted by
RedDragon
RedDragon writes: "Ubuntu 7.10 is due out on Thursday, October 18, and in addition to desktop 3D effects, GNOME 2.20, and other features is the use of the Linux 2.6.22 kernel with the tick-less (CONFIG_NO_HZ) kernel feature. But does this mean enhanced power savings when compared to past Ubuntu releases? At Phoronix are Ubuntu power consumption tests looking back at the six Ubuntu releases from Ubuntu 5.04 to the yet-to-be-released Ubuntu 7.10. Testing was done when the system was idling and then under load and when the Lenovo notebook was powered via the battery and then again with the AC adapter. The Pentium M CPU temperature was also monitored. While Ubuntu 7.10 does include the tick-less kernel feature, more daemons and processes running by default on these modern Ubuntu releases is actually causing an increase in power consumption."
Linux Business

Submission + - ASUS Motherboard Ships With Embedded Linux (phoronix.com)

Submitted by
Michael
Michael writes: "ASUSTek has introduced the P5E3 Deluxe motherboard, which in addition to using Intel's new X38 Chipset also features a soon-to-be-announced technology by DeviceVM. SplashTop is an instant-on Linux desktop environment that is embedded onto this motherboard. Within seconds of turning on the P5E3 Deluxe motherboard, you can boot into this Linux environment that currently features a Mozilla-based web browser and the Skype VoIP client. Browser and VoIP settings can be saved and this SplashTop Linux can be updated to provide new features and support. The motherboard's dual Gigabit network interfaces and its draft-N wireless also work from this lightweight Linux desktop. At Phoronix is a review of this $360 motherboard embedded with Linux and a web browser."
Graphics

Submission + - AMD Launches New ATI Linux Driver (phoronix.com) 1

Submitted by
Michael Larabel
Michael Larabel writes: "AMD has issued a press release announcing "significant graphics performance and compatibility enhancements" on Linux. AMD will be delivering new ATI Linux drivers this year that offer ATI Radeon HD 2000 series support, AIGLX support (Beryl and Compiz!), and major performance improvements. At Phoronix we have been testing these new drivers internally for the past few weeks and have a number of articles looking at this new driver. The ATI 8.41 Linux driver delivers Linux gaming improvements from the R300/400 series and the R500 series. The inaugural Radeon HD 2900XT series support also can be found in the new ATI Linux driver with "the best price/performance ratio of any high-end graphics card under Linux." While this new driver cannot be downloaded yet, AMD has also eluded to accelerating efforts with the open-source community. Will AMD's announcement be enough to rectify their troubled Linux past?"

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