I would like to ask any NVidia Fedora users do you use open source or proprietary NVidia drivers?
Why do you use driver that you use? Have you tried the other one? What are the benefits and disadvantages to both of them?
If you use proprietary drivers how do you install them? Which package or packages need to be installed? Which repository has best proprietary NVidia drivers?
I’m asking because Fusion Linux ships only with default open source drivers but if NVidia users wish I can also include proprietary driver and have it pre-installed by default. I don’t have any NVidia hardware running Fedora so any donations are also welcome 😉
Pick your poison.
UPDATE:
This post has raised some heat in blog comments and also in Fedora mailing list discussion so please lets all calm down and give your vote here:
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Fusion Linux 
It has been my experience that the open source drivers don’t work nearly as well as the proprietary nvidia drivers, and often cause X to fail. I get mine from rpmfusion-nonfree, and currently have the following packages installed:
kmod-nvidia-2.6.34.6-54.fc13.x86_64.x86_64 1:256.53-1.fc13.3 @rpmfusion-nonfree-updates
nvidia-settings.x86_64 1.0-6.fc13 @rpmfusion-nonfree-updates
nvidia-xconfig.x86_64 1.0-4.fc13 @rpmfusion-nonfree-updates
xorg-x11-drv-nvidia.x86_64 1:256.53-2.fc13 @rpmfusion-nonfree-updates
xorg-x11-drv-nvidia-libs.x86_64 1:256.53-2.fc13 @rpmfusion-nonfree-updates
Vote for your oppinion here: http://poll.fm/2c1q3
I am running the Nouveau(sp?) drivers provided with Fedora 13, which I hear tell are the open source drivers. I am doing this because using NVidia’s drivers requires me to boot into single user mode, run a program sporting state of the art 1980’s graphics and reboot a couple times for good measure. It should be noted that this process must be repeated every single time there’s a kernel upgrade.
From my experience, the Nouveau stuff just works. I believe I’m not getting 100% acceleration for everything all the time, but I’m getting enough that I will never again do the NVidia dance.
Every vote counts 😉 http://poll.fm/2c1q3
do you use open source or proprietary NVidia drivers?
Proprietary.
Why do you use driver that you use?
More functionality.
Have you tried the other one?
Yes, of course, it comes as part of a default install.
What are the benefits and disadvantages to both of them?
nouveau
good –
Comes by default, nothing to set-up.
Works well for 2D.
Supported by Fedora.
bad –
poor 3D support (experimental)
Will always being playing catch up in terms of development and features.
nvidia
good –
Works as well for Linux as it does for all other operating systems, for all applications (2D & 3D).
bad –
Third party repository for installation.
Not supported by Fedora.
Notice I mentioned nothing about open source or closed source for good or bad. Until nouveau fully supports 3D being open is not part of the equation.
If you use proprietary drivers how do you install them?
akomod-nvidia from rpmfusion.
Which package or packages need to be installed?
rpmfusion repository packages (free and non-free).
akmod-nvidia, the driver and the dependencies are pulled in with that package.
Which repository has best proprietary NVidia drivers?
Best in what way?
easier to use and update – rpmfusion.
latest and greatest – Offical nvidia site.
I’m asking because Fusion Linux ships only with default open source drivers but if NVidia users wish I can also include proprietary driver and have it pre-installed by default.
I am a Fedora user, not at present a Fusion user. If I were a Fusion user, yes I would want the proprietary nvidia driver.
Please vote here: directly http://poll.fm/2c1q3
There’s a bug on your website, it currently reads: “Fusion Linux is Fedora Remix that is completely free and open source Linux based operating system.”
Correct would be something like: “Fusion Linux is a Fedora Remix that adds all the non-free, non-open source software that is available for Linux.”
Or do you really think the nvidia PROPRIETARY driver you suggest to add to Fusion Linux is free and open source? Did you never notice that Fedora includes all software that meets the criteria of being free and open source and therefore nothing has to be added if that’s what you want?
Thank you, you are right. I’ll correct that.
“I’m asking because Fusion Linux ships only with default open source drivers but if NVidia users wish I can also include proprietary driver and have it pre-installed by default.”
Good luck with that; the proprietary driver in Fusion for F14 doesn’t work out of the box ATM, because pyxf86config / X server is broken – https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=623742 . This means nvidia-config-display / livna-config-display, which the Fusion-packaged NVIDIA driver relies on to write the X config for the driver (and do a couple of other things), don’t work in F14, so you have to tweak things manually to use the proprietary driver in F14.
Then NVidia driver is definitely a no-go. Thank you for your reply.
I use the proprietary Nvidia drivers because they work with 3d. The Nouveau doesn’t even with the mesa-experimental files.
I follow the guide on the Fedora Forums which uses RPMfusion. I use the akmod version as that way I don’t have to worry about new kernels. Simple and easy and works well if all the steps are followed.
Open source Nouveau for me. Next time I’ll buy AMD instead, they seem to want my money more…
This post has raised some heat in blog comments and also in Fedora mailing list discussion, please give your vote here: http://fusionlinux.org/2010/10/13/proprietary-or-open-source-nvidia-drivers/ or directly http://poll.fm/2c1q3
I think using the free drivers by default and then alerting the user to the fact that they can have higher performance with the proprietary driver is the best way to go. It would be great if you could nab the driver selection interface from Ubuntu so that users can just click the driver they want.
Nouveau allows for Kernel Mode Setting and the proprietary one doesn’t – just something to be aware of.
If I was not going to be gaming or watching HD video (often) then I would definitely use the open source driver and not bother with the proprietary one.
This post has raised some heat in blog comments and also in Fedora mailing list discussion so please lets all calm down and give your vote here: http://fusionlinux.org/2010/10/13/proprietary-or-open-source-nvidia-drivers/ or directly http://poll.fm/2c1q3
as long as Fusion-Linux (15.1) will not install, because nouveau does not recognize halfways actual hardware (560 Ti in my case), there is no question, which drivers should be default (_not_ EGA/VGA or VESA, please)