Currently, a causal browse through a number of Linux distros show spotty Poulsbo drivers at best. Has any headway been made recently towards either convincing Intel to coax the driver source out of PowerVR or an acceptable (I can install it without low frame rates, involved steps and without fear that a kernel update will break it) OSS driver solution? I would love to put Linux on my little Acer netbook but I rely on it too much to install a nerfed driver.
Linux – the state of open-source Poulsbo/GMA 500 drivers
driversgraphicshardware-compatibilitylinux
Related Solutions
From the about page on 01.org:
01.org is the online presence of OTC, where we pull together all the open source work that Intel engineers are involved in. Here’s where you can find all the projects we maintain and contribute to in one location, from the most widely known, the Linux kernel, to very focused projects, like oFono and SyncEvolution, to the ones we started here at Intel and provide full hosting for, like PowerTop and the Web Simulator. Each project has its own micro-site, where it’s easy to learn about the project and engage in the community. And Intel open source maintainers and developers will find all the tools needed to host a project.
The packages provided by 01.org would appear to just be the latest that Intel has to offer for packages in which they either develop or participate in the development of said packages.
Example - official Fedora repo
I'm using Fedora 19, if I download the package cairo.
$ yumdownloader cairo
(1/2): cairo-1.12.14-2.fc19.x86_64.rpm | 689 kB 00:00:01
(2/2): cairo-1.12.14-2.fc19.i686.rpm | 713 kB 00:00:01
Taking a peak at one of these packages meta info:
$ rpm -qpi cairo-1.12.14-2.fc19.x86_64.rpm | head -17
Name : cairo
Version : 1.12.14
Release : 2.fc19
Architecture: x86_64
Install Date: (not installed)
Group : System Environment/Libraries
Size : 1747849
License : LGPLv2 or MPLv1.1
Signature : RSA/SHA256, Sun 26 May 2013 11:02:52 AM EDT, Key ID 07477e65fb4b18e6
Source RPM : cairo-1.12.14-2.fc19.src.rpm
Build Date : Sat 25 May 2013 06:00:13 PM EDT
Build Host : buildvm-09.phx2.fedoraproject.org
Relocations : (not relocatable)
Packager : Fedora Project
Vendor : Fedora Project
URL : http://cairographics.org
Summary : A 2D graphics library
Example - Intel's repo
We can then download the same corresponding .rpm from 01.org, download.01.org, cairo-1.12.16-1.4.x86_64.rpm .
$ wget https://download.01.org/gfx/fedora/19/x86_64/cairo-1.12.16-1.4.x86_64.rpm
Taking a peak at this package's meta info:
$ rpm -qpi cairo-1.12.16-1.4.x86_64.rpm | head -16
warning: cairo-1.12.16-1.4.x86_64.rpm: Header V3 RSA/SHA256 Signature, key ID 75e52366: NOKEY
Name : cairo
Version : 1.12.16
Release : 1.4
Architecture: x86_64
Install Date: (not installed)
Group : System Environment/Libraries
Size : 1749845
License : LGPLv2 or MPLv1.1
Signature : RSA/SHA256, Mon 06 Jan 2014 11:40:34 PM EST, Key ID a902dda375e52366
Source RPM : cairo-1.12.16-1.4.src.rpm
Build Date : Mon 06 Jan 2014 11:36:27 PM EST
Build Host : intel-appliance-0.obs.intel.com
Relocations : (not relocatable)
Vendor : obs://intel-appliance-0.obs.intel.com/Intel:Linux-Graphics:Fedora:19
URL : http://cairographics.org
Summary : A 2D graphics library
So if you notice, the version of the software from Intel is slightly newer.
Best Answer
There are open-source gma500 drivers in kernel-3.2 by Alan Cox from Intel. They are lacking 2d/3d/video acceleration but hardware should intialize properly. Not sure you'll find it user-friendly, but it is at least "hacker-friendly" - i.e. allowing to hack-in the missing features (acceleration).