Is it worth installing FC4?

[Jim Cornette]

Charles E Taylor IV wrote:

>  On Sat, 18 Jun 2005 16:45:21 +0100 Pedro Lobo <palobo at gmail.com>
>  wrote:
>
> > Hi all, I want to install linux on an extra PC that I have in order
> > to learn I already have FC3 but then read the news about FC4
> > coming out and held out on installing until I got FC4. I have
> > however read that many have problems and complaints about FC4.
>
>
>  If you haven't already installed anything, then why NOT install FC4?
>  (Unless the problems and complaints are for the same kind of machine
>  that you have, and those complaints weren't equally valid for FC3).
>  You don't have a thing to lose if FC4 doesn't work out for you.
>
>  If, on the other hand, you already had a nice, running FC3 machine
>  that you've tweaked to your liking - then there's no good reason to
>  install FC4. This is more/less my situation. If FC3 ain't broke,
>  then I ain't spending a bunch of time fixing the SAME problems for
>  FC4 that I already solved under FC3. And with the reported problems
>  with X on Intel video cards (my primary work machine is a laptop with
>  an 855 video chip), I would probably be entering a whole new world of
>  pain by installing FC4. And pain is for Windows XP users. :)
>

The problems with Intel video cards seem to be corrected by replacing the
/usr/X11R6/lib/modules/libvgahw.a
file from the FC4 version of xorg-x11 with a working
/usr/X11R6/lib/modules/libvgahw.a
from an FC3 working installation, or getting the file from extracting 
the file from a working rpm for xorg-x11 for FC3.

I upgraded a machine with an Intel 815 and another computer with an 
Intel 865G video cards and X works, the terminals are less than in 
working order.
After the FC4 file is replaced with the FC3 file, the terminals are in 
working order again after you reboot your system.

This problem seems minor compared to the refresh problem experienced 
with Intel cards using the FC3 released CDs and rpm versions..

Now the MGA video users and X might have a consider holding off a bit. I 
am unclear as to whether the Cards fail in GUI and the virtual terminals 
or not. The problems surfaced at the same time and version of X. The 
workaround is similar, but the bug was not completely isolated as to 
whether the code is bad, GCC4 introduces problems compiling or GCC4 
triggered the failure by exposing the buggy code or hacks within the 
driver codes for various video drivers.

Luc's explanation of possible reasons in the below bug report makes 
sense to me in a cross-reference bug I filed regarding libvgahw.a. He 
points to influences from xf86Mode.c. The bug is below and links to the 
MGA problem and to The Intel problem. Hopefully the presentation Luc 
presents tomorrow leads the xorg-x11 team toward a better and more 
reliable X server.

https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=3557

There are varoius bug reports in bugzilla.redhat.com also with MGA, 
Intel and other card types.

Oh well, be brave, the road to FC4 is not extremely rough.
That is with the Dell w/ Intel 865G card, computer with Intel 815 and 
the laptop w/ radeon work rather well.
I tried a Sony laptop and was fairly successful with the installation.

Jim