X-Fi on Linux, driver is here!!

Oct 16, 2007 at 11:46 PM Post #2 of 18
But it's only available for 64 bit Linux right now.
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Oct 16, 2007 at 11:53 PM Post #3 of 18
Quote:

Originally Posted by nelamvr6 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
But it's only available for 64 bit Linux right now.
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But can you even buy non-64 bit ones nowadays? Even my one year old laptop is running x86_64.
 
Oct 16, 2007 at 11:58 PM Post #5 of 18
Quote:

Originally Posted by tot /img/forum/go_quote.gif
But can you even buy non-64 bit ones nowadays? Even my one year old laptop is running x86_64.


Well I didn't buy mine, it was free. But yes, most Linux desktop installations are still 32 bit.

I'm running 32 bit because i don't really have a reason to run 64 bit, and there are still compatibility issues with 64 bit Linux.

I'll switch to 64 bit when I'll gain something by doing so.
 
Oct 17, 2007 at 12:05 AM Post #6 of 18
In x86 architecture 64 bit is a bit faster (even though it uses more memory), mostly because of better instructions and more registers.

I haven't noticed any major drawbacks, binary plugins work (flash probably the most important one), nvidia/ati binary drivers work just fine (I have machines with both in use in x86_64).

Benefits are of course small though, it is more of a matter of principle, 64 bits is more than 32
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Oct 17, 2007 at 12:10 AM Post #7 of 18
Firefox is wonky and some codecs don't work...
 
Oct 17, 2007 at 12:49 AM Post #8 of 18
Quote:

Originally Posted by philodox /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Firefox is wonky and some codecs don't work...


That's what I noticed the last time I tried, also at that time I had issues with the nVidia driver, though it was a few years back.

My boxen motor along nicely with 32 bit for now.
 
Oct 22, 2007 at 8:40 PM Post #10 of 18
Quote:

Originally Posted by Behemot /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Anyone tried this Linux driver for X-Fi? Does it work fine on recent ubuntu?


Is there a 64 bit Ubuntu I wasn't aware of?

This drive only works for 64 bit Linux versions, at least for the time being.
 
Oct 23, 2007 at 12:33 AM Post #12 of 18
^because writing drivers on different operating systems is completely different process. Creative isn't horrible, just lazy.
 
Oct 23, 2007 at 12:53 AM Post #13 of 18
Quote:

Originally Posted by n4k33n /img/forum/go_quote.gif
^because writing drivers on different operating systems is completely different process. Creative isn't horrible, just lazy.


Writing a driver to target x86 and x86_64 on Linux really shouldn't be any more work. If they're doing things that are that architecture-specific in a soundcard driver, they're doing it wrong.

I think it's so they can reduce the install base while beta testing. Does seem a bit strange to me though, since their Linux-using customers have been clamoring for decent support for ages now. It does look like they might be helping some ALSA devs with documentation and test hardware though for some of their lines, so maybe they're not that bad after all.
 
Oct 24, 2007 at 2:37 AM Post #14 of 18
seeing as 64bit is an extension not a new architecture, it shouldnt be hard, especially as both were released long before the X-Fi was around. If it werent for EULA's and closed source software, you would all be surprised at how simple it is to make something work on one platform that was written for another. It is entirely because of closed development that all these cross platform issues exist. If you want to see what i mean, look at something linux mozilla, which is many apps (SeaMonkey, Firefox, Thunderbird and Sunbird) and runs and compiles on every platform i have ever personally seen (Win, Linux, Mac, *BSD, Solaris and AIX).

Since X86-64 *IS* X86, there is NO reason for it not to work on 32bit. I think error401 might have a good point in that it is to limit exposure on pre-release drivers.

Either way, i think creative is going about this in the wrong way. The trend is for open drivers, and with AMD releasing documentation, i dont think people will continue to put up with this from creative, especially since there are sound cards out there that are competative in every respect other than EAX, which is no longer supported by Windows properly and not even an issue for linux.
 
Oct 24, 2007 at 9:18 AM Post #15 of 18
Quote:

Originally Posted by John64 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
i dont think people will continue to put up with this from creative, especially since there are sound cards out there that are competative in every respect other than EAX, which is no longer supported by Windows properly and not even an issue for linux.


Well since the vast majority of Creative's business is in the Windows world Linux users have close to zero clout, and Creative will feel close to zero pressure to work on this. IOW, the vast majority of people don't have an issue to "put up with", and there are close to zero audiophile grade sound cards that work in Linux, so Creative is not sweating it at all.

That having been said I'm actually pleased to see what little movement in the right direction that we have seen.
 
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