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Gargaj: I would love to - Installing a base ubuntu sytem with the nvidia drivers (no extras) is relatively painless and I will be more than happy to help.

My main developing machine is Linux, and since there are almost no linux machines, I would like to add more linux demos without a windows port (just to 'revenge' those who don't port windows demo when they can.

+1 to linux machine.

Just make it a requirement to list any dependencies, beyond a base ubuntu install and nvidia drivers, in a info file. As long as the machine has net access or a package DVD, you should beable to apt-get the dependencies using ubuntu.

Dependencies don't fit in well with the current demoscene way of doing things (size limits, etc) but imho that's an area where we need to adapt.

i'll pitch the idea.

Yeah, (heavily) size limited compos do not really make sense under linux, because you need a "fixed" platform in order to define a size limit - and linux is by nature inherently un-fixed.
But except for that, I also vote for allowing linux entries. Not sure how many will be submitted, though.
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Just a little request though for other groups, Please please if you're using OGL (I know some do!) try to port the demo over linux (and mac too)

using cross platform frameworks such as glfw or SDL would really make it easy for you.

Hope to see more cross platform demos like RGBA used to do.

I vote against Linux since it's hippie communist bullcrap from outer space. And so is your mother.

Fight the power!

I'm going to submit a Linux entry if it's possible. Since I obviously have no clue about size optimizing in Windows platform anyway. :)

Or alternatively would it be possible to make an entry for Linux and provide a Windows port or a video for showing it? The Windows port wouldn't be the same size obviously.

When MS Visual Studio gets a "compile for linux" button, sure. But you're completely forgetting that for those of us who are used to integrated development environments from the 21st century (yes, you must find it hard to imagine, but vim and makefiles are *not* the fastest and simplest way to get things done!), the theshold to install a linux, find a non-sucking text editor, learn makefiles, decypher the gcc pile of nonsense, and then using *that* horrible and unfamiliar set up, hunt for compiler incompatibilities for a system we don't understand crap about, is just a bit high.

I intend to make all my demos from now on open source. If someone's interested in porting them, feel free. Skrebbel has a point :) Plus, I am using OS X for my daily computing and it's great for that, but I don't like developing on it at all.

skrebbel: all of the things you mentioned can be worked around, but the complete lack of a proper debugger is the clincher for me.

indeed - that one actually amazed me bucketloads when i saw linuxers develop. what, printf?

but i may've missed something awesome, so go ahead and prove me wrong guys :)

hey, we've merged with the "demos on linux" thread! brilliant.
yes, ive experienced exactly the same "wtf" moment - watching people debug with printf or struggling with half-arsed debuggers.

the thing with windows is it's made me so lazy. if youve got a problem on windows+d3d, you, in order of operation: a) debug it; b) run d3d debug runtimes and see if it tells you what the problem is; c) run pix; d) run nvperfhud. that sorts out the vast majority of problems. see, there is a benefit working on the platform where people develop most videogames - good tools for the job. :) i cannot think of a good reason to give all that up. :)

for me, it's always been very telling that, although i hear a lot of talk every time the topic comes up about lots of people using linux and loving it, the number of decent demos made on it is dangerously close to 0. i have a number of ideas why that could be - and im not sure whether it reflects more on the platform or it's users - but it certainly doesnt inspire me to check it out or support it in any way.

lately i used http://www.zero-bugs.com/ quite happily - just so you know

says it all :)

I actually prefer the NV-bashing over all this Linux debugging-talk. ;)

skrebbel: While there's many good reasons for not porting demos to linux, I don't think your argument is particularly good. K Develop was pretty good last time I tried it, and I can only imagine it has gotten better. There you have it, a functional IDE for linux.

My main reason for not porting is that I don't see any added value in Linux binaries. Running on Linux would not make my demos any better, and there's really only a small fraction of my target audience that doesn't dual-boot with Windows. And those who doesn't are usually just stubborn cry-babies who will have to live with video-versions. Besides, BASS (my audio-library of choice) only exist for Windows and OSX. Also, binary compatibility in Linux is a joke, so you better ship source if you ship for Linux at all, or no one will be able to run your demo the next time some ABI changes or whatever. And there's a boat-load of other smaller issues, like shit-poor GL driver-support for anyone with a non-nvidia GPU.

amigaOS!

Amiiiiigaaah!

Actually, magic, that's exactly what's going to happen. I don't think you know how many prods we make per year... and I don't think you understand why we make them.

You wanna know what happens when sceners get graphics jobs? Their skill level goes waaAAAAAAYY up. No more of this struggling crap, they get training and tools and spend 8 hours a day getting more _awesome_. After that, throwing in new tech becomes a weekend project.

What? A non free debugger for Linux? You have to pay in order to have quality software on Linux? No way! :O

> all of the things you mentioned can be worked around, but the complete lack of a proper debugger is the clincher for me.
[...]
> printf

You'll have to excuse me here, since my only experience with VisualStudio style debugging is C#.NET, but what is wrong with gdb?

Someone debugging using printf() usually means they're either a masochist, or stupid, and does not reflect on the development platform...

As for porting, it's not worth the time. Just start your next demo with cross-platform in mind :)

Oh dear...