So I am an avid gamer, and a Linux user something which, until recently, really hasn't gone hand in hand. That is quickly changing with the advent of the Steam client for Linux. More and more games are being ported to the client or are being created especially for it. Enter me and my primary Linux laptop powered by an Intel 4500 gma chipset. It plays some simple games just fine (FTL, Dungeons of Dreadmore), but when it comes to graphically intensive games it isn't great, but it should be able to play some older games like Half-Life 2 / other source engine games just fine (like it does in Windows). Unfortunately this isn't the case. I use the latest version of Linux Mint, but the standard drivers are terrible for the Intel 4500...so terrible that all of my Valve games are just plain broken. They either go to black or load upside down. While there are some work around fixes, but they require using some bleeding edge drivers (xorg edgers ppa for example). I tried these, but I ended up installing it wrong and had to roll it back. So I have been finding many other people are running into the same issue. One such user is found here...http://communities.intel.com/thread/33333 he was running into the same issue as me and when they asked Intel communities if they could start a Linux community to address some of these issues they got this pithy response...
Intel® currently has no intention of opening a Linux subforum. The Intel linux drivers are developed by the linux community as well.
Basically "We could care less about the new ground swell of Linux based gaming. If you want it to work fix it yourself." As a Linux user this much is obvious as it is what Linux is all about...DIY. But Linux is also about communities, about little pockets of users with similar interests coming together to resolve their specific issues. When Intel's official response to making a forum community to help Intel GMA chipset users get their game on is PISS OFF, well it pisses me off.
TL;DR - Intel should not ignore the up and coming Linux gaming community. Instead they should embrace the community and provide just that, a community space for Linux gamers to congregate.
