< Features
VNCServer support for LLVMpipe/Mesa on 64-bit IBM Power Systems
Summary
With Fedora 18 transitioning to 3D graphics support in the desktop, work is required to ensure that VNCServer will continue to support Power Systems.
Owner
- Name: Will Schmidt
- Name: Phil Knirsch
- Name: David Cantrell
- Email: willschm@us.ibm.com
Current status
- Targeted release: Fedora 19
- Last updated: 2012-10-31
- Percentage of completion: 30%
Detailed Description
IBM Power Systems lacks a DRI2 compliant graphics adapter at this time, capable of OpenGL support. Therefore, the work at this time should be focused on the software emulation performed by LLVMpipe. Work is required in LLVM which lacks a JIT with PPC64 ABI knowledge.
This work is ultimately about parity of PowerSystems platform. No new feature/function is anticipated in LLVM, LLVMpipe, Mesa, or gnome3.
This feature only affects IBM Power Systems for the Fedora Secondary Arch.
Benefit to Fedora
User will be able to use Fedora on IBM Power Systems using the 3D Software Render via LLVMpipe and run Gnome 3 or any other 3D application like on Intel systems that lack hardware 3D support.
Scope
No new features/functions. Simple platform parity for IBM Power Systems to support the 3D Software Render.
How To Test
Existing tests should execute to parity with x86 platforms.
Test cases:
- Run Gnome3 via VNC. Full functionality should be available and no fallback mode should be necessary.
- Run OpenGL applications. Should run normally without error messages.
User Experience
User will be able to use Fedora on IBM Power Systems using the 3D Software Render via LLVMpipe and run Gnome 3 or any other 3D application like on Intel systems that lack hardware 3D support.
Dependencies
When Fedora 18 adopts the patch to change the default desktop for TigerVNC to gnome3, Power Systems will no longer have a working vncserver implementation.
Also depends on the basic work on LLVM itself, captured in the following feature page:
https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Features/LLVMonPPC64
Contingency Plan
Adam Jackson working together with the team on a alternative software renderer that doesn't require LLVM/LLVMPipe.
Documentation
No documentation update necessary as this will only add support for LLVMpipe to IBM Power Systems and will be documented via the release notes.
Release Notes
Fedora 18 for Power now adds support for LLVMpipe. This enables IBM Power Systems on Fedora to use the 3D Software Render fallback and run Gnome3 and all other 3D applications on IBM Power Systems like on Intel platforms on systems that lack hardware 3D support.