Quote:
Originally Posted by Wim
So here's the problem.
We had exactly the same back in 2008 for our DL-1x5 chips. So we did development to enable these on Linux and released the driver into the community. This wasn't a complete solution, as there are many variants of Linux and the graphics architecture was not suited to multiple displays in the same way Windows already was. But the information and example drivers released gave all the tools needed to create a driver and a solution on Linux. If there was enough demand for DisplayLink technology on Linux, all the tools were enabled for the community to do it.
Fast forward 5 years, and DisplayLink technology and the graphics architecture issues on Linux still has issues, as this recent post from Plugable shows. It slowly gets better, but it still does not "just work" without bugs and a lot of configuration. It seems the demand on Linux is not there currently, otherwise if it was really desired, the work would have been done to improve this by the community.
As the Linux community hasn't adopted multiple displays or created "easy to use" DisplayLink drivers for the DL-1x5 chips, justifying the work we would have to do to enable DL-3xxx support on Linux is difficult. So if you want to help show there is demand for DL-3xxx Linux drivers, making drivers stable and easy to use for the DL-1x5 family and showing demand for these USB 2.0 products on Linux first would be the catalyst to get DL-3xxx family support on Linux.
Ourselves and Plugable want to see our devices working on Linux. If you want to help develop this support for the DL-1x5 and show that there would also be demand for the DL-3xxx, then Plugable and running a hardware seeding program here:
http://plugable.com/projects/plugabl...amples-program
Wim |
I understand your (very defensive) rationale. You want to get support for your driver for free from the community, without investing too much effort. You do not see the potential of embedded/thin devices running Linux, that is your choice.
But my personal problem is that you are still not stating clearly on your webpage that DL-3xxx devices will not be supported for a long time. I bought a device using your technology relying on your information on your website which said that "An open source driver is available, which is now built into the Linux kernel. Linux support for DisplayLink devices is supported by the Linux community." Given that there was very little information about the DL-3xxx chip with Linux at that time anywhere on the net, I had to rely on this.
Thus, I bought the Lenovo USB3 dock believing your FAQ statement to be true (and applying to this dock). Many people in this thread did the same. Be more honest on your website, then less people will feel scammed. Don't point towards long dead projects websites without updates. This thread is a good start - but more proactive communication would help. Posting this rationale earlier would also have helped raising interest into your issues without angering customers with bricks on their desks.