Date | Status report |
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2009.03.26 | Updated print questions |
Next action: Get answers to print questions, and set up for podcast. |
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Interviews
Print interview
- What is KMS? Can you give us a brief overview?
Sure. Kernel Mode Setting refers to the idea of moving low level display drivers into the kernel so that the kernel can set the display mode at boot. Traditionally, this has been reserved for the X server, which would set the display mode when it started up. However, having the X server do this causes problems in many cases, especially around areas like suspend/resume and with the development of new types of rendering mechanisms. The idea is to move this functionality into the kernel with an API that is accessible to the rendering engine so that the kernel will set the display mode at boot and the rendering engine can then interface with that to make any changes to the mode. It also now gives the kernel the ability to better manage memory for suspend/resume. This leaves the rendering mechanism to do what it was meant to do--render.
- What are the benefits of this functionality and how will this improve the average users interaction with fedora?
- This all stemmed out of work that started in Fedora 9. Can you give us a general overview of the path from then until now?
- This all came about very much as a result of coordinating with others upstream. Who were other people you worked with and how exciting was it working with them and the upstream in general?
- There has been talk about creating a general panic screen now that its possible. Do you think we will ever have a blue screen of death on Fedora?
- What are the plans for the future looking like? Is there a general roadmap you guys have?
- What's the coolest functionality you think this could provide in the future?
- What are you going to do after the F11 release is out? Go to DisneyWorld?