Sadly, the package system isn't mature enough (I don't think) to be able to say, "if version x.x.x of package P is installed, then install version y.y.y of package Q -- otherwise, install version z.z.z or package R".
As for standardizing on a 3d architecture, do realize that there are many video cards supported only under 3.3.x, and some video cards that are only supported under 4.0.1. It would not be kind to tell owners of either card, ``Stick with potato or buy a different card''. Furthermore, very few users are actually interested in hard-ware accelerated 3d graphics, whereas X is of utmost importance to the majority of users. In the end, Branden can only do what he has done thus far -- make it possible for all users to run X, and make it possible for those with accelerated 3d cards to run DRI under X, all without having to use CVS. It is an impossible job, and somehow Branden has pulled it off. :) It is still up to the user to figure out which subset of packages available will best meet the user's individual needs. :-/ The xlib*mesa3 libraries supply different libraries: $ dpkg -L xlibosmesa3 /. /usr /usr/X11R6 /usr/X11R6/lib /usr/X11R6/lib/libOSMesa.so.3.3 /usr/X11R6/lib/libOSMesa.so.3 /usr/share /usr/share/doc /usr/share/doc/xlibosmesa3 /usr/share/doc/xlibosmesa3/copyright /usr/share/doc/xlibosmesa3/changelog.Debian.gz $ dpkg -L xlibmesa3 /. /usr /usr/lib /usr/lib/libGL.so.1.2 /usr/lib/libGLU.so.1.3 /usr/lib/libGL.so.1 /usr/share /usr/share/doc /usr/share/doc/xlibmesa3 /usr/share/doc/xlibmesa3/copyright /usr/share/doc/xlibmesa3/changelog.Debian.gz Both are needed. Cheers :) ----- Forwarded message from Ketil Malde <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ----- Envelope-to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Delivery-date: Mon, 20 Nov 2000 04:18:00 -0800 To: Seth Arnold <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [EMAIL PROTECTED]: Bug#77511: relationships between packages for 3d support] From: Ketil Malde <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> In-Reply-To: Seth Arnold's message of "Mon, 20 Nov 2000 02:14:17 -0800" Date: 20 Nov 2000 13:16:58 +0100 User-Agent: Gnus/5.0803 (Gnus v5.8.3) XEmacs/20.4 (Emerald) Seth Arnold <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > Ketil, the problem is, it *is* a complex relationship. Trying to explain > the relationship in a package description is going to either bloat the > package descriptions to many many pages, or will drive the author of any > such description to commit themselves to a nearby mental institution. Well, I was hoping the Glide packages would be able to say "if you use XFree86 v4, you don't need/shouldn't install this package". If that is indeed the case. > and compounded by Debian's ability to have practically everything > available installed at once. Yes. Shouldn't it be possible for Debian (or each of the stable/unstable branches, at least) to standardize on a 3D infrastructure? At least Woody ought, IMHO, to go towards adoption of XFree/DRI, and warn against obsolescent packages that clutter up things. > It is even more complex with 3dfx cards. (Zephaniah will attest to this > in a heartbeat I think. :) I can't make mine work in Windows either, if that's a consolation. > You will need the xlibmesa and xlibosmesa libraries installed. Are these the libGL that the DRI page talks about? > You will also need the 3dfx kernel module There's source in Debian, too, for that matter. > Check the debian-x archives Will do. > All told, it isn't as easy as it would like to be -- but I have a > feeling that once 2.4.0 is out, and 4.0.x is the predominate version of > X available, that support will improve over time to the point of > simplicity. But it won't happen overnight. If this is indeed the ultimate target, I'd really like Woody to focus on it. Anyway, thanks for your clarification. When I get a grasp of these things, I might sit down with Sketch and try to make some visual representations of the various ways to get 3D performance (XFree 4, Utah GLX, Mesa-glide - anything else?) Thanks, -kzm -- If I haven't seen further, it is by standing in the footprints of giants ----- End forwarded message ----- -- ``Oh Lord; Ooh you are so big; So absolutely huge; Gosh we're all really impressed down here, I can tell you.''
