> errors in xc (lots of the standard XFree86 warnings, but no errors).  But I
> don't even get as far as you do, on the Matrox; the screenmode change never
> occurs, and my console is garbaged in a most colorful way.  External net
> services still work, though.

mmm.  garbaged console.  pretty, isn't it? =)

> I also have an S3 ViRGE VX (old Diamond card), and X starts up just fine, with
> the same codebase.  But I can only do a certain number of blits-- window moves
> or resizes-- before it locks up.  No zap keys, but only the X process is locked;
> external services work fine.

Have you tried starting X from another tty (ie, serial console or via an
ssh session) so you can catch errors echoed to the tty after X has
started?  I'd bet that you've got the same PLT errors that I've been
getting (and the other Andrew, too)... I've found that ion (search on
freshmeat.net) works great for text windows, and can remain running for as
long as a couple of minutes before seizing, as long as I don't attempt to
run anything other than rxvt.

> Thanks all, esp. Simon; this is a mighty effort.

*definitely* agreed.  Simon, the work you've done is impressive -- the
fact that we've got some showstoppers shouldn't be allowed to overshadow
the incredible fact that some of us can actually get the display
*working*, which is an incredible step forward.

FWIW, I've moved up to -current on my kernel (yesterday's CVS update), and
still no luck.

millennium hand and shrimp,

/Andrew