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Intel refuse to document significant portions of their technology, and Linux works less well on their platforms as a result. They definitely do a better job of
by mjg59 6y ago
Intel refuse to document significant portions of their technology, and Linux works less well on their platforms as a result. They definitely do a better job of documenting things than Apple, but I'd really frame this as a difference in degree rather than in kind.
- webmobdev 6y agoCan you give some examples - I thought Intel was pretty involved with the Linux foundation and have released a lot of open source code?
- saagarjha 6y agoIntel encrypts their microcode, for example.
- mhh__ 6y agoDIY microcode is a really bad idea if that's what you mean
- mjg59 6y agoThey release plenty of open code, but then you also end up with situations like them not documenting DPTF and so laptops running slower under Linux than under Windows (https://mjg59.dreamwidth.org/54923.html https://mjg59.dreamwidth.org/54923.html has more on this), failing to document the requirements for entering deep power saving states and so laptops consuming more power under Linux than under Windows (https://mjg59.dreamwidth.org/41713.html https://mjg59.dreamwidth.org/41713.html), not doing any upstream work on the IPU4 camera platform so the webcam doesn't work on various laptops - instead this ends up with random people outside Intel having to reverse engineer stuff or do integration work on Intel's behalf. Is it better than Apple? Yeah. Is it good? No.
- mhh__ 6y agoIntel still publish manuals hundreds and hundreds of pages longer than anyone else at their volume of sales.