[AG-TECH] LINUX vs Windows as a AG node Display system

[Stephen Bosch]

Douglas Baggett wrote:
> Do people on the list have opinions on LINUX vs Windows as a Display
> system? When AG 1.x came out, linux did not really have that good
> multi-monitor support. Now that XFree86 has come a ways, I was wondering
> what people's experience has been with using LINUX as a Display system?
> I am bit tired of fighting Windows monitor and device drivers for
> multi-monitor displays (especially when the displays have different
> resolutions). It seems Windows has a mind of it's own often changing
> screen placement/order without the user doing anything (mainly in
> between boots). Other issues include icons/task-bar migrating to
> different screens when I don't want them to! I'm thinking one advantage
> of LINUX would be having a set in stone config for XFree86 so that
> NOTHING changes.

I would no longer hesitate to suggest using Linux for display systems. 
The multi-head support is much improved, and even if the XFree86 
documentation remains nebulous the XF86Config parameters are much, much 
simpler.

I'm using a Matrox Parhelia 128 triple-head card. It works like a hot 
damn. The drivers are supposed to be for Redhat, but I've extracted them 
and used them successfully in Slackware. If you need OpenGL support 
Matrox can provide you with beta 3d drivers (those work too).

I haven't had any of the problems you describe in Linux, although there 
is a bug in the way the Matrox drivers handle the framebuffer (logging 
out of X caused the screen to blank. Not very convenient :) ) The 
workaround is simple, though -- just don't use the framebuffer on boot. 
That's mostly eye-candy anyway.

If you need any help setting up multi-head support in Linux, let me know.

-Stephen-

-- 
Stephen Bosch
Collaborative Systems Specialist
Netera Alliance Inc.
Biosciences 530B
2500 University Dr NW
Calgary AB T2N 1N4
tel (403) 220 2546
fax (403) 282 0838