[ubuntu-x] Ubuntu Natty X.org Plans

[bryce at canonical.com]

This email summarizes some key information that may be of use to you
regarding Ubuntu's plans for the upcoming Natty Narwhal release as it
relates to video drivers.  I've indicated the assumptions we're working
to; if any of this looks incorrect to you, please let me know ASAP.


Target Versions for Release
---------------------------
  kernel:       2.6.38
  x-server:     1.10   [1]   (Feb 2011)
  mesa:         7.10         (Dec 2010)
  libdrm:       2.3.23 [2]   (Dec 2010)
  gnome:        3.0          (Dec 2010)

1: May go with x-server 1.9 if release is late or includes risky
   changes.  Will review and decide at end of 1.10's merge window.
2: Will go with version as required by mesa 7.10.


Important Dates
---------------
  Feb 24, 2011  Feature freeze
  Mar 31, 2011  Beta
  Apr 28, 2011  Release


Driver Notes
------------
intel / radeon / nouveau: will ship most recent stable release; there
doesn't seem to be anything we particularly want to grab or avoid on the
horizon.

Gallium: Will switch to r300g by default; distro-patch in xorg.conf
option to switch back to classic. Load classic when KMS is not
available.  Will go with upstream default for r600g/r600c; this is
currently r600c. Will add xorg.conf option to switch.

Nouveau: As in Maverick we will not be supporting 3D acceleration for
nouveau.  3D support will remain available from the archive by
installing the libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental package.

For CD space reasons we will be dropping the less widely-used DRI
drivers from the CDs.  Jockey hooks will be added to offer users the
chance to install these drivers from the archive.  Intel and Radeon
drivers are not affected.

Again for CD space reasons we will investigate using a shared library
for common code in the DRI modules to reduce the disc footprint of these
drivers.