Re: [MiNT] New MiNT distribution is [long]

[joska@nvg.org (Jo Even Skarstein)]

On Mon, 21 Feb 2000 11:31:19 -0500 (EST), Katherine Ellis wrote:

> hmm driver is architecture dependent, you don't access the graphics, the
> same way on a falcon or hades, so I really don't see the relation.

Well, the Falcon is fairly well documented, but previously it was very hard
to get the specs on graphics-cards. There's a lot of graphics-card drivers
available for X/Linux (yes, sources too), so because of Linux it's a lot
easier to write drivers for MiNT as well. The same applies to network-cards,
soundcards etc.

> If a manufacturer gives the specs, and if enough atari users are
> interested in the hardware, a driver will be done. (just like what
> happened with cdrom writers, scanners, video cards) In TOS.

Generally it's *very* hard to get specs on hardware, unless you pay a hefty
amount of money (and sign a non-disclosure agreement, which means no
source-distribution). Linux has pretty much changed this, even though many
hardware-vendors still only ships binaries.


/*
** Jo Even Skarstein    http://www.stud.ntnu.no/~josk/
**
**    beer - maria mckee - atari falcon - babylon 5
*/