[relnotes] [Bug 220655] New: release notes does not mention 3rd party video drivers

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Fri Dec 22 19:48:47 UTC 2006


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https://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=220655

           Summary: release notes does not mention 3rd party video drivers
           Product: Fedora Documentation
           Version: devel
          Platform: All
        OS/Version: Linux
            Status: NEW
          Severity: normal
          Priority: normal
         Component: release-notes
        AssignedTo: relnotes at fedoraproject.org
        ReportedBy: brian at amd.com
         QAContact: kwade at redhat.com


Description of problem:

I just put together a new motherboard, a new 1440x900 monitor, and a 
new FC6 install.  I try to stay away from proprietary drivers because
they've caused me nothing but problems in the past.  I expected to have
trouble with my 1440x900 monitor and I did (but that's a different
issue).  The problem is that the release notes don't say anything about
proprietary video drivers.  However, even a casual web search for
how to fix up a 1440x900 display under Linux will result in plenty of
web pages that discuss various proprietary drivers.  So now the new
Linux user is puzzled - if this driver is necessary, how to get it?
Which copy to trust?  Why wasn't it on the install media?  Why won't
yum just fetch it?

I think the Release Notes owes the new user at least a short mention
of proprietary video drivers and probably a pointer off to some place
that describes them in more detail.  Otherwise, the casual user will
simply follow one or more of the sets of directions from the web,
download a driver and go on, potentially screwing up some other part
of his/her install (like libGL).

At fedoraproject.org, Mike Harris spells out a lot of the pitfalls that
come with these drivers so it's clearly a widespread problem.

Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable):


How reproducible:

Read release notes...

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Find Linux newbie
2. Install FC6 on odd hardware
3. Stand back and watch
  
Actual results:

Screwed up libGL

Expected results:

I'd rather use free drivers but that doesn't look likely any time soon.
Second choice would be to have a known good site to get these drivers
from and a pointer in the release notes that tells me about it and why
it is better than some random site.

Additional info:

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