3 ms·

>As I understand, fast fractional scaling is impossible with Linux because fractional scaling is a bitmap operation while it’s just a rendering parameter on Win

>As I understand, fast fractional scaling is impossible with Linux because fractional scaling is a bitmap operation while it’s just a rendering parameter on Windows. Windows, like every modern operating system 2006 or newer, has a graphics compositor to do basic things like allow GPU-accelerated window stretching, prevent screen tearing, and so on (OS X had one slightly earlier). Meanwhile while Linux has had multiple modern attempts to build a composited graphics stack (Compiz, Wayland) certain very vocal elements of the Linux community complain about any attempt to build a graphical stack you can't send via carrier pigeon and have dragged their feet or otherwise thwarted wide(r) adoption.

gertop 2y ago
For the most part, Windows doesn't achieve fractional/integer scaling by doing gpu-accelerated bitmap scaling. On Windows and MacOS and iOS and Android the GUI toolkits are aware of the scaling factor and draw themselves appropriately. It has nothing to do with the compositor. Some legacy apps on Windows are indeed scaled like you describe, resulting in a blurry mess like on Linux, but they are few and far between.
- Arainach 2y ago
  That's a fair point. I could also have said "certain very vocal parts of the Linux community have resisted every effort to move to modern UI toolkits". DWM, Direct2D, Direct Composition, and the fact that major Windows UX frameworks use them does allow significant offloading of drawing to GPU instead of CPU, however.
  - erik_seaberg 2y ago
    What happens in the datacenter where you don't have a GPU but each user probably does?
    - Arainach 2y ago
      Remote Desktop Protocol supports those APIs natively and can work with locally accelerated surfaces (RDP is way, way better than VNC or other Linux remote access options, particularly over low bandwidth connections - it's generations better technology).

gertop 2y ago

For the most part, Windows doesn't achieve fractional/integer scaling by doing gpu-accelerated bitmap scaling. On Windows and MacOS and iOS and Android the GUI toolkits are aware of the scaling factor and draw themselves appropriately. It has nothing to do with the compositor. Some legacy apps on Windows are indeed scaled like you describe, resulting in a blurry mess like on Linux, but they are few and far between.

Arainach 2y ago
That's a fair point. I could also have said "certain very vocal parts of the Linux community have resisted every effort to move to modern UI toolkits". DWM, Direct2D, Direct Composition, and the fact that major Windows UX frameworks use them does allow significant offloading of drawing to GPU instead of CPU, however.
- erik_seaberg 2y ago
  What happens in the datacenter where you don't have a GPU but each user probably does?
  - Arainach 2y ago
    Remote Desktop Protocol supports those APIs natively and can work with locally accelerated surfaces (RDP is way, way better than VNC or other Linux remote access options, particularly over low bandwidth connections - it's generations better technology).