[lug] whole screen (X) flashes

[John Karns]

On Sat, 17 Aug 2002, D. Stimits said:

> The only times I have seen the screen flash is when color palettes are
> used (versus true color), and different apps use different color
> palettes. Then as you switch from one app to another, the palette has to
> be loaded to match the app request, but the desktop as a whole reflects
> this one current palette. What color depth were you using, was it a true
> color that avoids this, or a lower depth?
>
> If you want to see all the things wrong with the html itself, see this:
> http://validator.w3.org
> http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.escrow.com%2F&charset=%28detect+automatically%29&doctype=Inline
>
> (the html is pretty bad, I recommend you send that inforation on the
> validator to them)
>
> FYI, in Mozilla 1.0 rc3, the page displays just fine. Different browsers
> react differently to errors...some die, some don't care, some act odd,
> and almost nothing made reacts the same as the other guy's browser in
> the particular error. It is hard enough to get consistent browser
> behavior with valid html (and javascript is another wrench in the gears
> of almighty Consistency requirement).

Thanks, Dan.

Of the two machines I tested, it only happens on my Dell Inspiron, which
has an ATI Mobility M4 AGP card - the desktop machine also is ATI, but a
slightly older Rage Pro.  The Dell BIOS was the factory installed version
(6) and they're now up to 21.  In the changes notes they mention some
updates to the ATI BIOS along the way.

So I flashed the BIOS, and it seemed to make it less severe - before I
think it was flashing at about 6 - 8 hz, and now it seems like about 3 or
4, but the problem remains.  Very strange.  If I make another window
active other than the browser, the flashing stops.  I may try to take an
mpg movie of the problem and send it to Dell along with the page source.
Even if it *is* bad html, it shouldn't interact with the hardware like
that.

In addition I've always had an ocassional flashing problem even in console
mode while viewing html in lynx, but the flashing was much slower, I'd
estimate .75 - 1.5 hz - I never really thought much of it, I figured it
was a Linux screen handler issue, or perhaps the 'screen' app that I've
grown accustomed to using.  I think Dell or ATI has a hardware / firmware
bug lurking somewhere within.

----------------------------------------------------------------
John Karns                                        jkarns at csd.net