[ubuntu-uk] Time for a new graphics card?

Dianne Reuby pramclub at yahoo.co.uk
Thu Feb 19 10:06:30 GMT 2009


I'm running 8.10, and my graphics card is an Nvidia GeForce4 MX440, old
but OK for my needs. I've also been given a Relisys Teo Teco TL766 flat
screen monitor to replace my old CRT.

Up until 8.10 I had full special effects using Compiz. But since 8.10
the driver that Nvidia finally released is just a pain. 

If I have special effects enabled, I don't have any status bars,
min/max/close buttons. Even with effects disabled, I can only have
1024x768. I can change that to  a higher res, but I lose the settings
when I reboot, even after saving the X.org config. Evolution layout
changes every time I reboot. The icons on my panel change position every
time I reboot. Word processing files don't display properly if they have
a lot of formatting - I have to scroll off the screen and back to
display them. There are bits of dialogue and menu boxes left showing
after they're closed. All trivial I know, but it is irritating.

My main PC use is internet, email, word processing, some very basic
photo/graphics editing. So I don't really need a fancy card for games.

But I'm really thinking about getting a new card, and I've been looking
up the various Ubuntu hardware sites. I don't want to buy a card and
then find that the manufacturer hasn't released a decent driver for
Linux. So can I have any recommendations? Should I stick to Nvidia? Do I
need to take the monitor into account?

TIA
Dianne





More information about the ubuntu-uk mailing list