Quoting: JajcusI don't understand why distributions like Ubuntu don't stick up with current Mesa releases. It is not like Mesa API or ABI changes with every update and whole distribution needs recompiling. The API/ABI is mostly OpenGL, which is backward-compatible practically to the very beginning. Mesa also has very solid development process and continuous integration infrastructure, so regressions are extremely rare and quickly fixed.

I see no reason for Ubuntu released last year not getting an updated to Mesa 13.0.1. Getting it compiled with LLVM recent enough for full functionality of the Radeon drivers might be a problem, though.

Possible reasons:

1. Ubuntu thinks it's a good idea to have 15 versions of Ubuntu they have to deliver patches and updates for

2. Idalisticly Ubuntu thinks 6 month release cycle will create more stable software by forcing developers to stabalize their apps for each major releases of Ubuntu. Actuality Developer App bug fixes are often prevented from making their way to users making Ubuntu software stale by not being rolling release. They capitolize on people's fear of the unknowns of Rolling Release to convince people it's a good idea.

3. Canonical holds the keys to the Ubuntu Garden and compiles all apps with their own set of patches. They often do this once or seldom per 6 month release cycle.

They also shamelessly rebrand the the Linux Kernel as the Ubuntu Kernel. Morally debatable I suppose.

4. Canonical believes & convinces users that by controlling when App updates get pushed to users they are creating stability & security.

This may be a partial truth. But what is also true is that for a long time Ubuntu 12.04 LibreOffice users had packages 2 years old because Ubuntu 12.04 required Library version X.Y which made it impossible for users to get the new LibreOffice.

5. Canonical loves the plublicity of all the blog and news sites to talk about their new version. The backlinks, posts on social media, blog posts and howto: guides have "made a big noise" generating interest in Ubuntu twice a year.

6. Canonical has their limited vision & limited number of employees divided on many different things at once. Mir, Ubuntu Phone, Ubuntu IoT, Ubuntu Tablet, Ubuntu Server and Ubuntu Cloud. They're trying to be the king of too many hills and are spread thin, their mission has become vauge and their purpose dulled.

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Quoting: liamdawe

Quoting: orochikyoI did post something related to this in another thread here, and now Feral is saying what we most of us already know: If updating software and drivers become easier, without the need of going to the terminal, adding a new repository and installing software from there, or waiting for a new version of the distro to be released, it would make Linux a much more friendly platform.
Not only compiling stuff is annoying but the fact that going to the terminal scares a lot of potential users who want to get away from Windows. Mayor linux distributions needs a driver update center away from synaptic or app manager, so driver devs can post there the lastest stable drivers and then the user will be asked if he wants to update...

I agree, fully. The annoying thing is I usually get ridiculed when people find out how little I know about the terminal. It's part of the old attitudes we have to break through, to get it into people's minds. You shouldn't have to learn terminal to be able to use Linux.

It's not as bad as it used to be, we have way more tools exposed via a decent UI than we did 2-3 years ago. The situation has slowly improved for sure, but this is certainly something that should be handled better.

As much as people like to rag on Gnome I feel like Gnome and Elementary have done so much to simplify the Linux system into a UX that puts Terminal Master power into a simple easy to get UX.

Apps keep emerging and cherry picking the best can lead to a mostly GUI Linux these days, Etcher for iso dd, Pantheon Files / Nautilus for MC, Noise / Lollipop / Gnome Music for simple Music Management, Epiphany is a simple browser, Gnome Control Center Alt will be a simpler control panel more like iPad, gedit / scratch as simple text editors, Gnome Builder as simplified Microsoft Visual Studio on Linux, Documents, Photos, (Too bad Gnome Books has been undeveloped it was looking cool in addition to evince Document Viewer)

And the list goes on. We must all remember that: Genius Simplifies as Ignorance Complicates

Linux should be built so amazingly that a user never should have to issue terminal commands. It should be fast and options concise and not needlesly convoluted or complicated.

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Not a ubuntu user but mesa 13 is totally ready for prime time. canonical dragging feet will just make other distros more attractive to switch to.

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someone tell the dev that the login registration should be on the score screen incase a person wants their score saved to the main board.

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Am I to understand that they're providing the same service just simplified & under their own name now?

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my brother & friend both use unity exclusively on linux.

im also thinking of taking it up if i can get a idea of what project i want to create as im exclusively on linux myself.

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Aww yiss, looking foreward to getting my mech on.

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Opinions seem to be all across the board on this thread.

A lot of effort has gone into the ideas of what SteamOS isn't doing and what they should be doing.

People today are still confused about whether or not Steam Machines were meant to compete with Windows 10 or Consoles.

I think that Steam Machines are still very much beta. I think that the composite technologies required for it to snowball are fresh out of the oven - Vulkan, VR, MESA-Git + AMDGPU, etc... etc...

I think Valve is smart enough to know not to put the cart before the horse and I think they've intentionally been reserved marketing SteamOS.

I think they're using Linux community as Beta testers to help them work out the bugs.

I think that they are being very strategic about not ruining the SteamOS & Steam Machine name and are holding back on the all out assault while they gain experience as a Console Creator. Consoles still have not hit brick & mortar stores and are not available world wide yet. I think this is part of their beta-test plan.

I feel like something unseen is at work at ValveHQ and I can't put my finger on it, new Vulkan versions of all their games CS:GO, Dota, TF2, HL3, etc... or they're working on something else very quietly like a new VR Vulkan 1st class game that will crank some juice & high FPS.

This is my appraisal of the situation based on my observation of Valve and Gaming on Linux over the past few years.

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This looks hawt

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This is great i haven't yet done a Talos Principle Vulkan MESA-Git video on my RX 480 tests

I'll be sure to use the new beta when I do, thanks for the turn on.

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