ubuntu and Linux refresh rate?

[mako at debian.org (Benj. Mako Hill)]

<quote who="Scott Ehrlich" date="Wed, Sep 14, 2005 at 10:41:49AM -0400">
> Having used MacOS, Windows, and Linux, I've found Linux to be the most 
> difficult to "easily" adjust the refresh rate on. Screen resolution is not 
> so much a problem. I'm as much of a fan of command line as GUI, but if a 
> Linux distro gives me the option of adjusting the screen characteristics via 
> a GUI, as does ubuntu, I'd like to think I have full reign. The same video 
> card under Windows gives me the right balance of resolution and refresh 
> rate. But under ubuntu (or most any other X interface for Linux), I get 60 
> hz refresh for most resolutions, with an occasional 56 hz for a couple 
> settings. My preference is for higher refresh rates (80hz, 90hz, etc).
> 
> Why can't it be that simple?

I'm no X hacker so I welcome correction if my impression is completely
wrong here.

My understanding is that the autodetection stuff errs on the overly
conservative side of things in terms of resolutions and refresh rates
for a number of reasons. The major reasons is that in some situations,
overly high refresh rates can physical damage or destroy hardware.

If you have correct information for a piece of hardware and it's data
that we gleen automatically (this data cannot be gained from all
monitors automatically) we can help code this into the autodetection
database. I suspect MS has manufacturers send them data on every new
piece of hardware they make. Unfortunately, those of us in the free
software world don't have the same luxury yet.

Regards,
Mako

-- 
Benjamin Mako Hill
mako at debian.org
http://mako.cc/