3d driver history(unimportant but i want to know something)

[benjamin20]

when i started doing linux about 3 weeks ago iwas able to quickly dload the latest nvidia drivers and i was able to use 3d acceleration. but from what understand this is actualy a reletavly new development. so what i want to know is how did people do 3d graphics befor good drivers for nvidia and ati?

[techieMoe]

when i started doing linux about 3 weeks ago iwas able to quickly dload the latest nvidia drivers and i was able to use 3d acceleration. but from what understand this is actualy a reletavly new development. so what i want to know is how did people do 3d graphics befor good drivers for nvidia and ati?

Well, IMHO ATI *still* doesn't have good drivers. I remember when Nvidia used to create about a dozen different RPM, TAR.GZ, and DEB driver files for their cards and you had to match the package to your kernel version, and also download a separate GLX package. They worked, but they weren't as simple as running one script for any distro like they have now. Before that, I don't know..

[benjamin20]

ok but when did nvidia start releasing driivers. also (a little story) i remember one time seeing my botball coach using linux to run gltron. but that was like 2 years ago in middle school. i dont know what type of card he had in his laptop but that was the first time i ever even herd of linux. so basicly what i want to know is, was there a time when you had to pick out a specific card that someone somehow made a working driver for. or mabye you hade to make a working driver yourself?

on another note besides ati and nvidia what other real vid card makers are ther. (not like intels integrated thing but liike a real card maker) because ive herd of matrox but i thought thats very bad with 3d.