Drop server-xorg-video-intel from the default install list?

johnraff · 2023-04-20 05:38:04

This Debian Wiki page:
https://wiki.debian.org/GraphicsCard
says, for Intel graphics cards:

If your graphic card was manufactured in 2007 and newer, try uninstalling the xserver-xorg-video-intel package and use the builtin modesetting driver (xserver-xorg-core) instead.

What % of our users do you folks think are likely to be using pre-2007 graphics? Is the advantage of switching to modesetting for the newer people big enough to justify dropping xserver-xorg-video-intel and possibly causing trouble for people with the older hardware?

Drop xserver-xorg-video-intel, or not?

hhh · 2023-04-20 07:28:00

New-ish Lenovo Intel Ideapad i3 laptop, just removed it and rebooted, no difference (if anything it might be better, I didn't test screen tearing pre-removal but post, it's phenomenal. Zero.)

Anecdotal evidence is not real evidence, though.

or1o9 · 2023-04-20 16:29:30

sudo apt remove xserver-xorg-video-intel
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  bunsen-meta-all xserver-xorg-video-intel
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 2 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
After this operation, 3,294 kB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] n
Abort.

Old Thinkpad, 2011 - ish. Better keep it for now on this machine.

hhh · 2023-04-20 18:16:48

^ I'm sure you know that bunsen-meta-all is just that, a meta package, removing it won't (shouldn't) remove any actual packages, it's like deleting a shortcut.

You might want to try removing the intel package and rebooting, you can always reinstall it and reboot again to revert back if you get worse graphics performance.

johnraff · 2023-04-21 03:03:49

hhh wrote:

bunsen-meta-all is just that, a meta package, removing it won't (shouldn't) remove any actual packages

I think now if a package is in the "Metapackages" section, it's as you say - dependencies won't be removed even if the metapackage goes.

It used to be different - once the metapackage was removed, apt would keep prompting you to "autoremove" all the dependencies.

or1o9 · 2023-04-21 03:03:52

Yes, but actually I felt a bit insecure in the heat of the moment. Did remove it and looks like it did not bother anything.

el_koraco · 2023-04-21 08:38:16

hhh wrote:

New-ish Lenovo Intel Ideapad i3 laptop, just removed it and rebooted, no difference (if anything it might be better, I didn't test screen tearing pre-removal but post, it's phenomenal. Zero.)
Anecdotal evidence is not real evidence, though.

This is due to mutter. If you run xorg without a compositor, the only way not to have tear free is with the intel xorg driver.

hhh · 2023-04-21 15:54:33

A WM/DE without a compositor, are you mad? This isn't 1998. Rounded corners and transparency, and cool window fade-ins and outs, dagummit!

el_koraco · 2023-04-21 16:54:03

I've gone all 2008/glittersloth.

hhh · 2023-04-22 12:26:21

I can respect that.

jeffreyC · 2023-04-22 13:05:37

Maybe leave it in on the i386 build, those are the most likely to be used on computers old enough to need that driver.

el_koraco · 2023-04-22 16:05:58

hhh wrote:

I can respect that.

But yeah, a wm on X without a compositor is the only use case in which the driver is needed, hence the warning on sites like the Arch wiki, since a lot of users there hipsterize their desktops. Since Bunsen runs with picom, I think the removal is warranted.

hhh · 2023-04-22 17:14:15

^ Good feedback, thanks.

johnraff · 2023-04-23 03:07:48

jeffreyC wrote:

Maybe leave it in on the i386 build, those are the most likely to be used on computers old enough to need that driver.

That might be the way to go.

#1 2023-04-20 05:38:04

Drop server-xorg-video-intel from the default install list?

#2 2023-04-20 07:28:00

Re: Drop server-xorg-video-intel from the default install list?

#3 2023-04-20 16:29:30

Re: Drop server-xorg-video-intel from the default install list?

#4 2023-04-20 18:16:48

Re: Drop server-xorg-video-intel from the default install list?

#5 2023-04-21 03:03:49

Re: Drop server-xorg-video-intel from the default install list?

#6 2023-04-21 03:03:52

Re: Drop server-xorg-video-intel from the default install list?

#7 2023-04-21 08:38:16

Re: Drop server-xorg-video-intel from the default install list?

#8 2023-04-21 15:54:33

Re: Drop server-xorg-video-intel from the default install list?

#9 2023-04-21 16:54:03

Re: Drop server-xorg-video-intel from the default install list?

#10 2023-04-22 12:26:21

Re: Drop server-xorg-video-intel from the default install list?

#11 2023-04-22 13:05:37

Re: Drop server-xorg-video-intel from the default install list?

#12 2023-04-22 16:05:58

Re: Drop server-xorg-video-intel from the default install list?

#13 2023-04-22 17:14:15

Re: Drop server-xorg-video-intel from the default install list?

#14 2023-04-23 03:07:48

Re: Drop server-xorg-video-intel from the default install list?

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