Yet another new user of Kubuntu is off wondering through the quagmire of the video driver swamp.
When HAL correctly divines your video chip and configures it for maximum 3D accelerated performance all is well in your Kubuntu land. However, for a large number of users of the newest, and many of the older laptops, HAL fails miserably, leaving the user to attempt what the individual mentioned above is trying, settle with VESA (if they can trick HAL into using it) or to move to another distro which solves the video configuration problems in a more practical (and sane) way. Barring that, they return to Windows and become sources of postings which say "Linux isn't ready for the desktop yet."
VERY FEW people have the skill and/or the will to recompile the kernel to add support for their video chip, IF such is possible. After that, they either have to pin their custom kernel to avoid having an update replace it, or they have to recompile each new kernel as it is released. EVEN fewer people want to take the time to do that. After all, the buzz word for Kubuntu (and other distros) is that it "just works". Sometimes a distro DOESN'T "just work", and that is when the user needs an easy to use graphical configuration tool (console graphic or vesa) which allows them to choose their video chip, their resolution, their 3D setting, and then test it without locking up their system. In other words, the way it USED to be done before HAL came on the scene. HAL is useful and should be used, but a better backup system should be in place in case HAL doesn't do its job. That's what the "-high" option in dpkg was for, before it was removed. X and gtf make a POOR substitute for a graphical configuration tool. Might as well tell those that must stoop to using those tools to "RTFM" ... the effect is the same.
Canonical is shooting itself in the foot with its HAL policy. IF HAL fails, it should at least have the decency to set up a VESA screen for users to get to a functioning desktop, or to fall back on it if their reconfigurations fail.
When HAL correctly divines your video chip and configures it for maximum 3D accelerated performance all is well in your Kubuntu land. However, for a large number of users of the newest, and many of the older laptops, HAL fails miserably, leaving the user to attempt what the individual mentioned above is trying, settle with VESA (if they can trick HAL into using it) or to move to another distro which solves the video configuration problems in a more practical (and sane) way. Barring that, they return to Windows and become sources of postings which say "Linux isn't ready for the desktop yet."
VERY FEW people have the skill and/or the will to recompile the kernel to add support for their video chip, IF such is possible. After that, they either have to pin their custom kernel to avoid having an update replace it, or they have to recompile each new kernel as it is released. EVEN fewer people want to take the time to do that. After all, the buzz word for Kubuntu (and other distros) is that it "just works". Sometimes a distro DOESN'T "just work", and that is when the user needs an easy to use graphical configuration tool (console graphic or vesa) which allows them to choose their video chip, their resolution, their 3D setting, and then test it without locking up their system. In other words, the way it USED to be done before HAL came on the scene. HAL is useful and should be used, but a better backup system should be in place in case HAL doesn't do its job. That's what the "-high" option in dpkg was for, before it was removed. X and gtf make a POOR substitute for a graphical configuration tool. Might as well tell those that must stoop to using those tools to "RTFM" ... the effect is the same.
Canonical is shooting itself in the foot with its HAL policy. IF HAL fails, it should at least have the decency to set up a VESA screen for users to get to a functioning desktop, or to fall back on it if their reconfigurations fail.
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