CRAP Poll: Video Drivers

[Spalls Hurgenson]

Completely Random And Pointless! That's how we like our polls!

Hardware drivers; you either love them or you hate them. Actually, I
don't think anybody actually loves them. But inevitably, a new version
of your drivers is going to be released. Quick, hotshot: what do you
do?

a) Install them immediately! They may have new functionality
or make my applications run better!

b) Install them eventually. They're probably released for a
reason, but I'm in no rush.

c) Install them only if I have to. The systems running fine,
so I'll only install the drivers if some app needs them.

d) Never install them. I like how the computer is running
now, and it's not worth the risk.

e) I'm still running whatever drivers came pre-installed
with the OS/computer.

f) Ha! Joke's on you! I'm already two versions ahead of the
'new' driver just released!

g) Ha ha! I'm using hardware or an OS that somehow doesn't
require drivers!

h) What's a driver?

i) User Defined Option (for those who hate coloring within
somebody else's lines ;-)


I definitely fall into category "C" these days. I used to be a
category "A" type person (or maybe even category "F"), but these days
I just don't see the point. Especially since, too often, new drivers
include /unwanted/ functionality that just makes the overall
experience worse. Unless an app absolutely demands a new driver, I
won't bother... and even then, I may just decide against using the
app.

So where do you fall on the driver-update spectrum?

[candycanearter07]

I'm on Linux and update a lot so... I honestly don't know.
--
user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom

[Dimensional Traveler]

C shading towards D. I also really hate the trend of removing functions
and features during updates just to break a competitors software or
remove a legal function that some mega-corp's lawyers made a threat
about if left in.

--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.

[Xocyll]

Spalls Hurgenson <spallsh...@gmail.com> looked up from reading the
entrails of the porn spammer to utter "The Augury is good, the signs
say:

>
>Completely Random And Pointless! That's how we like our polls!
>
>Hardware drivers; you either love them or you hate them. Actually, I
>don't think anybody actually loves them. But inevitably, a new version
>of your drivers is going to be released. Quick, hotshot: what do you
>do?
>
> a) Install them immediately! They may have new functionality
> or make my applications run better!
>
> b) Install them eventually. They're probably released for a
> reason, but I'm in no rush.
>
> c) Install them only if I have to. The systems running fine,
> so I'll only install the drivers if some app needs them.

<snip>

>I definitely fall into category "C" these days. I used to be a
>category "A" type person (or maybe even category "F"), but these days
>I just don't see the point. Especially since, too often, new drivers
>include /unwanted/ functionality that just makes the overall
>experience worse. Unless an app absolutely demands a new driver, I
>won't bother... and even then, I may just decide against using the
>app.
>
>So where do you fall on the driver-update spectrum?

Defiantly C.

I ran the same nVidia drivers for 7 years.
They were the last drivers that were relevant for the gtx760 card I had,
every subsequent driver release notes were full of "provided support for
card you don't have" and "provided support for game you don't play."

I update drivers when there is an actual point to do so, and I hate
every tech support types these days reading from their scripts where the
first point is always "do you have the latest drivers?"

That or games like Star Trek Online that literally whined at me every
fucking login for not having the latest drivers for a 2010 game.
While it has had graphic updates, they don't need drivers beyond maybe
2013.

The system works smoothly, why fuck with it if there is no need?

Latest has not ever meant better, and it never will.

Xocyll

[Mike S.]

On Mon, 04 Dec 2023 21:40:03 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson
<spallsh...@gmail.com> wrote:

> a) Install them immediately! They may have new functionality
> or make my applications run better!
>
> b) Install them eventually. They're probably released for a
> reason, but I'm in no rush.
>
> c) Install them only if I have to. The systems running fine,
> so I'll only install the drivers if some app needs them.
>
> d) Never install them. I like how the computer is running
> now, and it's not worth the risk.
>
> e) I'm still running whatever drivers came pre-installed
> with the OS/computer.
>
> f) Ha! Joke's on you! I'm already two versions ahead of the
> 'new' driver just released!
>
> g) Ha ha! I'm using hardware or an OS that somehow doesn't
> require drivers!
>
> h) What's a driver?
>
> i) User Defined Option (for those who hate coloring within
> somebody else's lines ;-)

I will update my video card drivers once every so often when I
remember. So I am probably somewhere between B and C.

[rms]

>Hardware drivers;

Only a thing if you have a legacy build, which I consciously gave up on
years ago. Oh! The topic does say Video Drivers -- those I do kind of look
forward to, seeing what new games are supported. But gone are the days of
having to clear out old drivers or run DDU.

rms

[Ant]

A even though my videos cards are very old!

--
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[Justisaur]

On Monday, December 4, 2023 at 6:40:15 PM UTC-8, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
> Completely Random And Pointless! That's how we like our polls!
>
> Hardware drivers; you either love them or you hate them. Actually, I
> don't think anybody actually loves them. But inevitably, a new version
> of your drivers is going to be released. Quick, hotshot: what do you
> do?

For Video Drivers, probably B. I install them usually within a week or
so of getting the notice from NVIDIA that there's new drivers.

- Justisaur

[Zaghadka]

On Mon, 04 Dec 2023 21:40:03 -0500, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

> a) Install them immediately! They may have new functionality
> or make my applications run better!
>

^This

Though if I had any common sense, I'd stop updating drivers as soon as
the next #xxx series card drops. My 3060Ti doesn't need all the priority
stuff for DLSS 3.5 that's coming in the new drivers.

I do keep a fat archive of previous drivers, though, and I naturally have
the last one before the 4090 dropped (517.48). I will revert to this, or
drivers I designate "last known good" when the card gets long in the
tooth.

Most recently, *all* of 545, and the first 546 driver messed up my card.
This is what you get when your card is in the Nvidia legacy penalty box.
Legacy meaning any previous generation of cards.

--
Zag

No one ever said on their deathbed, 'Gee, I wish I had
spent more time alone with my computer.' ~Dan(i) Bunten

[JAB]

A bit of a) and b) depending on what I'm doing. I'm not quite sure why
as I'm pretty sure that it does nothing for my GPU.

[Anssi Saari]

Spalls Hurgenson <spallsh...@gmail.com> writes:

> b) Install them eventually. They're probably released for a
> reason, but I'm in no rush.

Usually this. And I use the infamous Geforce Experience to install them
too.

Might go with a) if I ever play a new enough game where driver release
notes mention that specific game.

> I definitely fall into category "C" these days. I used to be a
> category "A" type person (or maybe even category "F"), but these days
> I just don't see the point.

I remember the early Windows gaming guidelines:
- Update drivers
- Update DirectX
- Update Glide
- Update Windows

> Especially since, too often, new drivers include /unwanted/
> functionality that just makes the overall experience worse.

Apparently NVidia's monitoring can't be disabled any longer so isn't
much I can do about that. Unless I went way back in drivers.