T410s switchable graphics: any implementation details?

[ghersh]

Just saw T410S with switchable graphics, on Lenovo web site. Any details on how it is implemented. Nvidia solution? Lenovo own (like what Apple did)?

TIA.

[Navck]

Apple didn't make their own solution, they had NVIDIA implement Optimus for them. Remember, Apple never does any of the engineering, they do the "design" work to make it pretty then let all their partners "take care of the details."

Ever wonder why Macbooks run so hot...?

[ThinkRob]

Remember, Apple never does any of the engineering, they do the "design" work to make it pretty then let all their partners "take care of the details."

That's often true for their hardware, but very, very far from the truth when it comes to their software.

[Navck]

If Apple contributed to BSD and Unix, I would actually take those words seriously.
Also the last time I checked, serious DSLR users still use Adobe Lightroom over iPhoto.

[ThinkRob]

If Apple contributed to BSD and Unix, I would actually take those words seriously.

They do.

Darwin is open source.

Apple is the main driving force behind the open-source WebKit engine too -- the one that is used by Chrome/Chromium, several smartphones, KDE/Qt apps, and a number of OSS browsers.

But maybe you were referring to the lower-level userspace stuff, like GCC, LLVM and Clang, all of which Apple contributes to. Or MacRuby, the open-source port of Ruby to Mac OS X. If not that, then maybe you were thinking of things like CUPS, the lead developer of which Apple employs to work on the project full-time.

Or perhaps you were thinking of things like libdispatch, for which there is an ongoing integration effort with FreeBSD? Or Bonjour/mDNSResponder, which they placed under an Apache/BSD license. Or Samba, which they've been actively working with since at least 2002.

[Navck]

Lets see, Chrome is one of the more obnoxious browsers. I'll stand by this point and I will even use prefer to use IE6 due to Chrome's obnoxiousness as a browser and catering to a more annoying fanbase to hardcore Opera fans (Sorry normal Opera fans, I don't want to bring you up but your hardcore guys are extremely annoying, moreso than hardcore Firefox fans. Besides if I used some giant, blanket statement, it would imply I somehow grouped you with the hipster-neckbeard stereotype hybrid wouldn't it?)

I have never heard of this integration effort as with a friend who uses BSD at a professional level with IBM Blade servers. It must be tiny, independent and insignificant. (And possibly extremely useless.) Oh by the way, Apple pulls this stuff off so they can make their own pesudo standards that they don't really do much to support anyways.

Actually most of the things you've mentioned seem to be extremely useless to professional users and seem more like they'll be popular with the modern casual Linux crowd, perhaps they are more of "cult projects" than actual, significant contributation?

[ghersh]

This is unfortunately what happens quite often. I posted the question to provide the details on Thinkpad 410S switchable graphics. Then, someone, apparently with intelligence of a proverbial Pavlovian Dog (every time he sees the word "Apple", he has to bark) stole the thread, and - viola! Suddenly we're discussing whether Apple is good or bad. So getting back to my original question, does anyone can provide any implementation details on switchable graphics in T410(s)? Thanks.

[Navck]

It would most likely be Optimus unless Lenovo asked NVIDIA to work with them to create a different solution for the switchable graphics.
Perhaps when you gain too much knowledge, you'll understand why I am so bitter. Knowledge is pain in seeing every flaw there is.

[ThinkRob]

Actually most of the things you've mentioned seem to be extremely useless to professional users and seem more like they'll be popular with the modern casual Linux crowd, perhaps they are more of "cult projects" than actual, significant contributation?

Sigh. You're right. Apple's evil, your professional connections have proved it, etc. Whatever. I'm done with this tangent.

ghersh: Sorry for feeding the... distraction.

With regards to the tech., my guess would be that it's either Optimus or Lenovo's own solution (a toggle app in the ThinkVantage suite?) -- but neither having nor having seen one of these "in the wild", I can't say with any certainty.