Re: recommend a netbook for Debian deployment?
On 6 November 2013 18:45, Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton <lkcl@lkcl.net> wrote:
>> The 1040 looks nice. It is out of my planned budget, but the 9.7 inch screen
>> (non-widescreen) would mean I get more use out of it s a tablet too. (I
>> really only need a tablet as a reader - for everything else I prefer a
>> keyboard; and for reading, widescreen is quite bad).
>>
>> What I would really like to know is what kind of performance the *GPU* would
>> deliver
>
> *deep breath*... well... do you care if the performance benchmarks
> are twice that of the nearest competition if, after a few hours of
> heavy use the proprietary GPU software, which is so complex due to the
> fundamental hardware design being so flexible (yet old) that it
> corrupts the main OS and crashes it?
...funnily, I do. My main aim (hypothetical for now, I'm only looking
at feasibility) would be to port a Second Life viewer. I'm likely to
get crashes after a few hours of heavy use anyway for quite some time
- if it is stable for an hour it would be a smashing success. As a
maximum aim, If it supports full OpenGL somewhere near what, at least,
a 6-7 year old basic dedicated GPU did, then *I want it*.
>> and how well it's supported under GNU/Linux (as opposed to Android).
>> The advertising describes GNU/Linux for "work". I want it for play :)
>
> no. you don't. *do not* get *anything* that has imgtec PowerVR.
> ask anyone who's worked with intel embedded atom SoCs. ask anyone
> who's had an intel atom laptop with a PowerVR GPU.
Wait, is PowerVR rebranded as Intel HD Graphics? I'm getting confused
- again probably my fault (just trying to understand how stuff works).
>> So what is wrong with that? Performance? Driver support?
>
> the team that designed it has left the company. the remaining people
> at imgtec are completely unable to deal with its complexity. so they
> tweak it and dial up a few macros to get higher performance but they
> fundamentally are incapable of fixing the software. it's a pity
> because it's a fantastic design. go look up luc's talk.
I'll look that up, but the question is whether there is an
alternative. Although at the $300 mark, where the 1040 is aiming,
there probably is, the AMD C-50, with its stellar GPU performance. But
if no one is doing an open design based on that, there is probably a
good reason for it that anyone more knowledgeable than I probably
knows very well?
>>> anyway anyone who'd like to follow along, it's all here:
>>> http://rhombus-tech.net/community_ideas/kde_tablet/news/
>>
>>
>> Might be my fault but I could not find the basics there, as in CPU/GPU used,
>> RAM, OpenGL status...
>
> ok you won't, because it's a chassis. the CPU Card is a plugin
> user-upgradeable module, reusing PCMCIA (PCCARD) if you remember that.
Of course I remember PCMCIA. And it sounds like a very good idea.
> the *first* in the series will be an Allwinner A10 module, which has
> its own news page:
>
> http://rhombus-tech.net/allwinner_a10/news/
>
> yeees, that CPU Card runs debian. first thing i installed when i got it :)
Cool. But I guess the A10 GPU (Mali400) is pretty basic compared to
the aforementioned PowerVR?
>> and, of course, how you can attach a keyboard. It does seem you are going
>> for non widescreen which is kinda cool :)
>
> lots going on - the first tablet will be 1024x600 (i'm not keen on it
> personally, but the client's client are). after that we'll have cash
> to make a whole stack of products whahey!
I'll keep watching the space, as if I go for a tablet at all, it has
to be 9+ inch non-widescreen and with a wired keyboard case. But THAT
would be a real incentive to go for it (basically it would replace two
devices that I need).
--
Yours, Mikhail Ramendik
Unless explicitly stated, all opinions in my mail are my own and do
not reflect the views of any organization
Reply to: