We did tests agggges ago (years), where at the time, SDL with X11 actually performed better (due to some driver acceleration happening.) I doubt anyone has tried later.. but there are numerous options:
- GL (on top of X or framebuffer)
- SDL (on top of X, or on framebuffer, or whatever)
.. and we're using notaz' enhanced SDL these days, which includes some hw accel features as an option.. so apps can be set to use them (default is not to, for safety sake)
- framebuffer direct
- direct hw driver calls (kernel probabyl blocking this)
...
Not that most SDL apps can run with a number of backends (X11, Freamebuffer, etc) just by changing env-vars, or by X being down. They don't need recompilation. Anyway, you can see there are a number of permutations.
Most apps tend to be SDL based, with a few being GL based, and they tend to run on top of X11 so as to minimize the impact to users (closing down X is a drag, often.)
That said, we did fart around with a non-X11 option.. minimenu is SDL based (in the name of pragmatics, I had to write it quick right before release), and it buys the easy option of running with or without X11; when you fire up minimenu as your 'desktop choice', an X11 is up and mmenu on top, but not much all else (there is a WM, mind you, but nothing else.) But you can certainly add another desktop choice easily enough that just invokes minimeun (say), without X .. works fine. I went so far as to fiddle around on a basic firmware that was just kernel, pluls minimenu, plus the system libs and config files, to see how fast I coudl get it to boot (I forget now, but something like 10-15secs with trimmed kernel too, and fairly high compatiblity of apps..) .. but nothing ever became of most of these experiments.
You're welcome to try .. but in the end, not too much is gained performance wise, I _think_.. but it needs proving, since a lot has changed over the years.
jeff
