These are excerpts from discussions of these drivers within our group.
they have been sanitized by removal of the names of the innocent, etc.
Enjoy, if you can, 'cause it's of little pratical use???
------------------------------------------


The pvga1 driver works fairly well, but it does some very bad things
to certain registers (including frobbing some stuff that messes up text
mode).  My w5186 driver is basically a modified pvga1 driver that has
been corrected to work nicely with the w5186.  Also, Dave's
Xconfig requires modifying freq (for use with the Diamond Viper).
Mine only needs the freq binary (due to a modification to the
Xconfig file.)  I also made a change to startx to make it clean
up after itself by setting the frequency back to normal.

>> I like the idea of not modifying freq, but rather placing the larger
>> values in Xconfig.  This way we can simply point people to the freq
>> program without sending it to them.

That's a good idea.  Or, we could include a small freq binary.  As long
as we don't distribute source or something we've modified (it may be
bad for multiple versions of freq to be floating around).
------------------------------------------------
>> (Let's not give 'em source code until we're a bit further along.)
There's not really much valuable source here for them to have.  Most
of thr frobbing I've done didn't lead to anything and they can't
build it w/out the link kit.
--------------------------------------------------------------
> > The problem with announcing it as an alpha, etc, is that people will
> > expect us to maintain it.  Maybe we should just announce it as a 'patch'
> > to the XFree1.3 stuff, for Viper cards only?
> That's an idea.  Or maybe release it as a "temporary solution" or something
> to that effect, with an explicit note telling people not to expect it
> to be maintained or upgraded.

I agree that we should limit people's expectations for this code -
we want bug fixes from them, not additional burden (wishful thinking?)

I think we should do a little testing within the group 1st, and then just let
selected people (inquiring minds) know about it...

Make it as simple to use as
possible, and try to cover any likely questions in a README (easy for
me to say, I know :-).  Also, make it clear who people should contact when
they have problems or bug reports.

For those not familiar with the linkkit, it is a set of libraries and
driver source that people with limited disk space can use to relink a
new server.  The linkkit is also designed to make it easy to add new
drivers "after the fact".  To add a new driver (like this one), all you
need to do is supply the driver source as an add-on.  To build it, a
line in the linkkit's site.def is edited, and that's about it.
--------------------------------------
   I plan on bringing up Erik's mono server this weekend and will post results.
   I assume 0.99pl12 is recent enough?
-----------------------------------------------------------
This "W5186" server is more of a temporary solution hacked together
rather than something that warrants being a part of XFree86 right now
(IMHO).  There is still a lot of PVGA stuff left in it that hasn't
been cleaned out and a lot of other things that have not been
implemented.  If it was in color, it would be a different story, but
with just a monochrome server, we may want to just put it somewhere so
people can run X (at least for now) with cards like viper, etc that
have P9000's and W5186's.  We're probably better off putting time into
a color P9000 accelerated server for XFree 2.x than a monochrome hack.
------------------------------------------------------
>I plan on bringing up Erik's mono server this weekend and will post results.
>I assume 0.99pl12 is recent enough?
Actually, it works with 0.99pl9-1 (or at least that's what I have
and I haven't had problems)....  :)
Erik
----------------------------------------------------------------
I was able to install Erik's mono server by following the simple "to run
the server" instructions in the readme. It worked the 1st time.
If it's OK with Erik, and if Andy doesn't report any problems if/when he
tries it this weekend, I'd like to make it available to the dozen folks
on my beta-tester list. I'd like to add my own readme with the following:
1. disclaimer about supporting this server , like:
	it's only an alpha hack (or whatever Erik's comments were)
	take it or leave it
	bug reports/problem reports accepted but not necessarily answered
	we want to work on some good stuff, not perfect this server.
2.Where to get freq - freq claims not to be Diamond code and that it's
 freely distributable so I don't see why not tell people to get diamond.tar
 Also - where to get the link kit (xlink - right ?) etc.
3. add my system configuration (and Andy's ??) as being tested on.
---------------------------------------
I'll volunteer to answer dumb questions on it and pass good ones on to
Erik without promising an answer...
I really appreciate getting this server , Erik ! Now I can exit X and see
what error messages were generated by my .xinitrc, etc. _and_ I don't
have to reboot to get my screen back. I hope that this might get some
of the volunteer beta-testers to join in some coding (like me!).
-------------------------------------------------------------------
   I installed Erik's monochrome server for the W5186 and it worked right out
of the box.  Good work, Erik!
   I think I need to tweek the clocks for my Viewsonic 17 because all vertical
lines are slightly concave to the right but otherwise it looks fine.
   I've dynamically switched between 640x480 and 800x600 and that works fine.
One thing I haven't figured out how to do is to use CTL-ALT-Fnn to switch
between virtual consoles so that twm doesn't lose the tty it is using.
------------------------------------------
>> If it's OK with Erik, and if Andy doesn't report any problems if/when he
>> tries it this weekend, I'd like to make it available to the dozen folks
>> on my beta-tester list. I'd like to add my own readme with the following:
>> 
All fine with me...
>> 1. disclaimer about supporting this server , like:
>> 	it's only an alpha hack (or whatever Erik's comments were)
>> 	take it or leave it
>> 	bug reports/problem reports accepted but not necessarily answered
>> 	we want to work on some good stuff, not perfect this server.
>> 
>> 2.Where to get freq - freq claims not to be Diamond code and that it's
>>  freely distributable so I don't see why not tell people to get diamond.tar
>>  Also - where to get the link kit (xlink - right ?) etc.
Good idea.  But for ease of installation, we should include the freq binary
only (and maybe the README if you have it).
>> 
>> 3. add my system configuration (and Andy's ??) as being tested on.
>> ---------------------------------------
>> I'll volunteer to answer dumb questions on it and pass good ones on to
>> Erik without promising an answer ???? or should I even be involved ???
Thanks for confirming that it works.  Do you say that VT switching
doesn't work with C-M-Fx?  That's strange...  I'm not sure why.
It works with mine...
___________________________________________________________________________
OK , we could wait for good clocks for the Viewsonic 17 (I have a MAG 17 and
Erik has a ???? - I'd like to get a list of everyone's system configuration)
Or we could include that with anything else we get from beta testers, if and
when that is.
>    I've dynamically switched between 640x480 and 800x600 and that works fine.
> One thing I haven't figured out how to do is to use CTL-ALT-Fnn to switch
> between virtual consoles so that twm doesn't lose the tty it is using.
how about some nice 1024x768 stuff!
--------------------------------------------------------------------
>OK , we could wait for good clocks for the Viewsonic 17 (I have a MAG 17 and
>Erik has a ???? - I'd like to get a list of everyone's system configuration)
>Or we could include that with anything else we get from beta testers, if and
>when that is.
I have a NEC MultiSync 4FGe.  The timing I use are identical to the
timeing in the default Xconfig file (the VESA timings.)
>> I've dynamically switched between 640x480 and 800x600 and that works fine.
>> One thing I haven't figured out how to do is to use CTL-ALT-Fnn to switch
>> between virtual consoles so that twm doesn't lose the tty it is using.
>
>how about some nice 1024x768 stuff!
Unfortunately, no mono server under XFree86 1.3 should be able to
support 1024x768... :( This is because all of the mono servers use one
64K bank and never try to do any bank switching.  Thus, 800x600 (60000
bytes) is OK, but 1024x768 (98304 bytes) is NOT ok (it at least looks
funky.)...  Maybe if some of you mess with it, you can get color to
work.  I've spent many hours changing random registers and recording
results (to little avail), but maybe you'll have better luck.
------------------------------------------------------------------
>Unfortunately, no mono server under XFree86 1.3 should be able to
>support 1024x768... :( This is because all of the mono servers use one
>64K bank and never try to do any bank switching.  Thus, 800x600 (60000
It may be true for your driver, but the XFree86 1.3 mono server *does*
support bank switching.  I can get a 1600x1280 virtual with a 1MB
ET4000 card.
-------------------------------------------------------------
> >Unfortunately, no mono server under XFree86 1.3 should be able to
> >support 1024x768... :( This is because all of the mono servers use one
> >64K bank and never try to do any bank switching.  Thus, 800x600 (60000
> It may be true for your driver, but the XFree86 1.3 mono server *does*
> support bank switching.  I can get a 1600x1280 virtual with a 1MB
> ET4000 card.
An if you spent the time to read and follow the VGA driver documentation
for 1.3 (which is in the link kit), this would all be obvious and a
heck of a lot simpler.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I've read the porting directions, and I've tried to play around
with some of the servers in the 1.3 release, and it isn't at all
obvious how to get more than one bank to work with the mono server in
1.3.  (I'm sure that it can be done, but it isn't obvious to us
newbies.)  Also, who cares?  This server is only a hack so that we
don't have to re-boot every time we exit X, or switch VT's!
Finally, the SVGA16 driver _almost_ works.  Colors come up, but everything
is stretched vertically about 20x.
--------------------------------------------------------
I read the VGA driver docs, but I must have just forgotton 
that the XFree86 1.3 Mono server can bank switch.  I do seem to remember
reading somewhere that the mono server could only do 64K, but I must
be mistaken.  Actually, if the W5186 would work properly with
bank switching, color would work too.  However, I have followed all
of the instructions in your driver docs and the data book, and things
still don't work properly.  No matter what I do, the best I can get
still has the image messed up at higher resolutions.  Everything
that gets drawn to the screen at 800x600 in color shows up seven times
in horizontal bands that are slightly wider than the screen so that they
are staggered down the screen.  Each of these bands looks identical.
Any ideas what needs to be done?  I've written the bank switching
code and set the flag to enable bank switching, etc, but this still
happens.  Please forgive my clueless on some of this, for I am still
pretty much a newbie.  Thanks for your help.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
> I've read the porting directions, and I've tried to play around
> with some of the servers in the 1.3 release, and it isn't at all
> obvious how to get more than one bank to work with the mono server in
> 1.3.  (I'm sure that it can be done, but it isn't obvious to us
> newbies.)  Also, who cares?  This server is only a hack so that we
> don't have to re-boot every time we exit X, or switch VT's!

Reread the docs.  You don't do anything to make banking work in the mono
server - it uses exactly the same code as the color server.  You have to
do special things to make it NOT use banking.  In fact, if you haven't
done these special things (setting a variable :->), you will likely wind
up with a core dump, as it will try to dereference invalid pointers.
...
It's the BrookTree Bt485.  Normal DACs have two register select bits.  The
Bt485 has 4.  To access the extra two bits, there are two bits allocated
in one of the S3 extended registers.  Each chipset that supports a Bt485
will have to give access to these bits somehow.
--------------------------------------------------------------
   My system configuration:
	i486DX2/66			SLS 1.03 distribution
	SIS EISA/VLB motherboard	Linux 0.99pl12
	AMI BIOS
	256K cache
	16 MB memory
	Ultrastor 34F
	Diamond Viper 2M
	Maxtor LXT-SCSI 340SY
	Wangtek 5150ES
	HP Scanjet IIP
	1.2M floppy
	1.44M floppy
	Viewsonic 17

   I can switch from the virtual console in use by the X server to any other VC
but when I switch back to the X server's VC I'm in 80x50 text mode.  Am I doing
something wrong in attempting to return to X?
