openSUSE-12.2 'may' get xorg-server 1.12.0

English Install/Boot/Login
1

I’ve been lurking on and off on the factory mailing list and noted a discussion on-going, where if sufficient volunteer resources can be found, there is a possibility that xorg-server-1.12.0 may find its way into openSUSE-12.2 (although NOT in the recent Milestone-3). The timing is quite tight to have xorg-server 1.12.0 in openSUSE-12.2, so for those of us who can not package/help, one can only hope.

I note the openSUSE xorg-server 1.12.0 discussion thread starts here: Re: [opensuse-factory] Status: M3

and Phoronix has this to say about 1.11 : http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTAxNTc

and Phoronix has this to say about 1.12: http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTA2NjE

… and I note the announcement thread for xorg-server 1.12.0 here: [ANNOUNCE] xorg-server 1.12.0](http://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/xorg/2012-March/054196.html) where possible changes include (where I have copied this off of a mailing list) include:

  • udev/systemd-based multiseat support (things like Plugable USB gadgets Just Work)
  • DRI2 enhancements for low memory and better triple-buffering
  • Better smooth scrolling (internal better use of doubles/floats, etc) [where the visible smooth scrolling change is XI 2.1 support for smooth scrolling events, so clients now get valuator information instead/in addition to button click events for scroll data.]
  • Driver support for RANDR rotation (instead of requiring a shadow buffer)
  • Multi-touch support (XI 2.2)

I think the DRI2 may help some users with legacy hardware.

I think a number of users with touch screens are looking forward to the multi-touch functionality being added.

With my now owning a Tablet (running Android ICS), I constantly forget when I move to a regular computer and I am finding myself touching the screen on a regular computer, as I will forget that a regular monitor needs a mouse (and does not have a touch screen). I have a view now that within 10 years (and maybe sooner) most computer screens will be touch screens. Hence I believe multi-touch is essential for X and for GNU/Linux.

2

I note openSUSE-12.1 has Xorg-server 1.10.4 (similar to Ubuntu-11.1 and Mint-12), so its also likely important to note there are a number of improvements that will come with xorg-server-1.11 (which is in between 1.10.4 and 1.12), where the release note for xorg-server-1.11 is here [ANNOUNCE] xorg-server 1.11.0](http://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/xorg-announce/2011-August/001729.html).

That 1.11.0 list is far too massive to reproduce here.

As always, when installing a new version of the xorg-server its a question of stability vs any features/bug-fixes. I note the release versions some of the more common distributions:

  • openSUSE-12.1 : xorg-server 1.10.4, Mesa-7.11, and kernel 3.1
  • Fedora-16 : xorg-server 1.11.1, Mesa-7.11 and kernel 3.1
  • Ubuntu-11.1 : xorg-server 1.10.4, Mesa-7.11 and kernel 3.0
  • debian-6.0 : xorg-server 1.7.7 , Mesa 7.7.1 and kernel 2.6.32
  • debian-unstable : xorg-server 1.11.4 , Mesa 7.11.2, and kernel 3.2
  • Mint-12 : xorg-server 1.10.4, Mesa 7.11, and kernel 3.0

where, to put the above in perspective, the lastest xorg-server is 1.12, the lastest Mesa is 8.0.2 and the latest kernel 3.3.2 (I think < not sure > ).

3

What would keep it from inclusion?

4

A lack of stability. It needs testing.

5

Further to this thread ( Re: [opensuse-factory] Status: M3 ) there are significant discussions going on wrt the rpm structuring for 1.12.0 on openSUSE. I am used to seeing most of the open source drivers packaged in the rpms xorg-x11-driver-input and xorg-x11-driver-video, but we are possibly looking at a splitting of those packages. I note this from the mailing lists: Re: [opensuse-factory] Re: xorg 1.12 update? where it notes

with the response Re: [opensuse-factory] Re: xorg 1.12 update? which is to drop them. … and the question asked if anyone is interested in maintaining the “chips” driver? …

Ergo it suggests to me we could see a number of legacy open source graphic drivers dropped with the implementation of Xorg-server-1.12.0 (ie openSUSE-12.2 if it gets 1.12.0) .

6

Note that Xorg 1.12 is already being distributed via the X11:/Xorg repository. I assume it has been integrated there shortly after the post you linked was written, as suggested by the building date below. Seeing as this is in the devel-project, I think it is highly likely that this will be part of one of the next Milestones and also the final 12.2 release.


sh-4.2$ Xorg -version

X.Org X Server 1.12.1
Release Date: 2012-04-13
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System: openSUSE SUSE LINUX
Current Operating System: Linux rmk2 3.3.3-21-desktop #1 SMP PREEMPT Mon Apr 23 09:18:43 UTC 2012 (739b98b) x86_64
Kernel command line: root=/dev/linux/root resume=/dev/linux/swap vga=0x31a
Build Date: 25 April 2012  06:14:26PM
 
Current version of pixman: 0.24.4
        Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
        to make sure that you have the latest version.

That said, I’ve been running those packages for about 2 weeks now and didn’t encounter any problems so far. The above output comes from my regular system with the X11 repo enabled. :wink: