[ubuntu-za] Unity 2D and graphics drivers

[Peter Nel]

>
> Wikus wrote:
>
> Afternoon all ,
>
> I have received my new pc today. Decided to install 12.04 as 12.10 is
> just too slow and buggy.
> My new pc has an ATI card. I have noticed after install that only Unity
> 2D was available.
> I installed ATI drivers and all are fine now and on Unity 3D.
>
> But , I have a question regarding future versions of Ubuntu. I have read
> (and think 12.10 is already like it)
> that unity 2D are gonna be removed completely.
> So how then would one install such an Ubuntu on a pc like mine if unity
> 2D isn't vailable ?
> How are you gonna install and actually start it up to get the graphics
> drivers installed ?
> If unity 2D is not included , and your card don't support unity 3D with
> Ubuntu's default drivers , then how do
> you get it installed and drivers downloaded ?
>
> - Wikus
>

As I understand it Unity 2D was a completely standalone project written in Qt.
In 12.10, 2D will be "integrated" into regular Unity so lower spec
machines can enjoy the same features and experience... if your
graphics aren't capable of rendering the 3D stuff, you will get a
"hardware accelerated interface powered by the OpenGL rasterizer
LLVMpipe" (i.e. via software - Unity 2D was also 'via software'...).

This move was also done to free up developer resources, and for "users
to probably be more effective on reporting bugs, contributing patches,
testing, mockups proposals, creating concepts/opinions/judgments" ...

Not sure of how performance will compare to Unity 2D.

http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2012/08/unity-2d-removed-from-ubuntu-12-10
http://www.iloveubuntu.net/unity-2d-removed-ubuntu-1210-default

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Péter Nel