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Intel says Clover Trail will not work with Linux

theinquirer.net

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Re: Intel says Clover Trail will not work with Linux

#31

Post by jeltz »

rjsw wrote: post #30
werpon wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Option 3 has no basis since Intel doesn't need to write a single line of code to get their new chip supported under Linux, they just need to release the specs. Which brings us to: 4) Just like many graphics chips, this processor does some black magic to boost performance and Intel doesn't want to give any clues to competitors by releasing specs and/or open drivers.

Intel don't own the design of the GPU, they can't release the specs. This is a non-story, Atom versions following this one will be able to run Linux fine.

Interesting, do you know who the owner of the specs is?

Re: Intel says Clover Trail will not work with Linux

#32

Post by orangethirty »

This will be interesting to watch. There is a whole generation of users that do not use Windows as their primary OS. The brand power that it once had is disappearing. Users can now pick between Linux and iOS for most of their computing needs. The failure of Windows Phone to compete on that market shows that there is a significant amount of mindshare being lost. My guess is that MS is trying to lock people into using the OS again, but this time it won't happen. There are too many options right now. Users are so much more educated than before. Every kid out there can root their Android and upload a custom ROM. When they see their smartphone (or pocket PC) being locked down, they will just get something that doesnt lock them. All of that and Apples marketing power. MS lacks it.

Re: Intel says Clover Trail will not work with Linux

#33

Post by brudgers »

"Unix BSD based IOS"

When I read this, I realized that the author was supporting a preconceived conclusion. Apple uses ARM, in no small part because they bought a fan not long ago; and, of course, iOS is not out in the wild to be installed on hardware from OEM's such as Acer or HP.

Re: Intel says Clover Trail will not work with Linux

#34

Post by regularfry »

lunixbochs wrote: post #4

In other words, the same "Windows 8 Mobile will come with a locked EFI Secure Boot" we've known about. The OS is signed and verified by the bootloader. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Extensible_Firmware_Int...

Where do you get that from?

Re: Intel says Clover Trail will not work with Linux

#35

Post by rjsw »

jeltz wrote: post #31
rjsw wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Intel don't own the design of the GPU, they can't release the specs. This is a non-story, Atom versions following this one will be able to run Linux fine.

Interesting, do you know who the owner of the specs is?

Imagination Technologies, the GPU is a PowerVR one.

Re: Intel says Clover Trail will not work with Linux

#36

Post by gvb »

jeltz wrote: post #31
rjsw wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Intel don't own the design of the GPU, they can't release the specs. This is a non-story, Atom versions following this one will be able to run Linux fine.

Interesting, do you know who the owner of the specs is?

Likely Imagination Technologies (PowerVR http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PowerVR)

Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atom_%28system_on_chip%29

See also http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTA1N... which talks about Intel's plans to drop PowerVR and go back to an internal (Intel) design:

The future SoC that's expected to introduce the new graphics is "Silvermont" and expected availability by early 2013. Before the exciting Silvermont there is expected to be the "Clover Trail" Atoms released this calendar year, but it doesn't sound like that SoC will bear new graphics capabilities. I hope to have some more details soon and am very excited to see Intel do away with the PowerVR graphics and its horrific driver support.

Re: Intel says Clover Trail will not work with Linux

#37

Post by brudgers »

tjoff wrote: post #10

Intel's decision to support only Windows 8 on Clover Trail might work for laptops but seems very risky for tablets, where x86 tablets running Windows 8 look to be priced close to Apple's Ipad and significantly higher than Google's Nexus 7 and Amazon's Kindle Fire HD. Uhm, they surely meant the other way around? Practically no one have ever switched OS on a tablet/phone whereas on a laptop you'd certainly expect to be…

"on a laptop you'd certainly expect to be able to run linux."

The fraction of end users to whom it would occur to consider Linux on their laptop is tiny. The fraction of consumers who would consider it is even smaller. The fraction of consumers who would expect their new laptop to support Linux is negligible. The expectations of the HN community are atypicle.

Re: Intel says Clover Trail will not work with Linux

#38

Post by adestefan »

Hasn't this been known for about 6 months now? Clover Trail isn't an Intel part, it's a PowerVR core licensed from Imagination. Intel doesn't have the rights to release the specs on PowerVR and Imagination has never wanted an open source implementation, even if Intel writes it.

Re: Intel says Clover Trail will not work with Linux

#39

Post by Iv »

rjsw wrote: post #30
werpon wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Option 3 has no basis since Intel doesn't need to write a single line of code to get their new chip supported under Linux, they just need to release the specs. Which brings us to: 4) Just like many graphics chips, this processor does some black magic to boost performance and Intel doesn't want to give any clues to competitors by releasing specs and/or open drivers.

Intel don't own the design of the GPU, they can't release the specs. This is a non-story, Atom versions following this one will be able to run Linux fine.

Intel had the power to ask for that in the negotiations and did not. Deciding to still ship the product in these conditions is therefore purely an Intel decision.

Re: Intel says Clover Trail will not work with Linux

#40

Post by Zigurd »

werpon wrote: post #18
nicholassmith wrote: post #8

Couple of ways to take this: 1) Microsoft has exerted leverage over Intel and got them to go down the preferred supplier route. Possible, and not overly surprising. 2) Intel is trying to carve a niche out and thinks its best bet is with the old hound. 3) The boring technical reason that there's loads of implementation and they can't be bothered making the changes to the Linux packages. It sounds like it'll run but wi…

Option 3 has no basis since Intel doesn't need to write a single line of code to get their new chip supported under Linux, they just need to release the specs. Which brings us to: 4) Just like many graphics chips, this processor does some black magic to boost performance and Intel doesn't want to give any clues to competitors by releasing specs and/or open drivers.

Regarding "Just like many graphics chips, this processor does some black magic to boost performance and Intel doesn't want to give any clues to competitors..."

One reason it's common for GPU makers to be secretive is that there is a very big risk that GPUs and their drivers violate patents, and the makers of these products want to make it as difficult as possible to ascertain whether patents are being violated. They won't even broach the topic because that would draw them in to willful infringement.

So a proprietary OS maker like Microsoft can conclude a deal with IMGTek and give them all the secrecy they want, and Linux is left out.

Apparently even Intel can't get IMGTek to open up. Intel probably doesn't want to complicate their negotiating position with IMGTek by saying anything about whether Intel's GPUs might be sufficiently power-efficient to go into mobile parts. There is a lot of money, and a lot of product viability at stake. Intel GPUs have open source drivers.

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