[gentoo-user] Intel dilemma

[Simon Hunt <chesemonkyloma@gmail.com>]

I posted this on the forums but I want some more information. I have a
bit of a dilemma. With these settings,

xf86-video-intel: 2.6.3-r1 xorg-server: 1.6.2-r1 and 1.6.3 kernel
module: i830 kernel: gentoo 2.6.29-r5 and 2.6.30-r4

sometimes when stopping or starting X my computer would freeze and there
would be no video output. However, other than that, inside Gnome Firefox
ran pretty smoothly, not incredibly fast, but not sluggishly at all.
With these settings,

xf86-video-intel: 2.8.0 xorg-server: 1.6.3 kernel module: i915 kernel:
vanilla 2.6.31_rc7


X starts and stops very smoothly without ever freezing, I think because
of the KMS. But Firefox runs sluggishly and my whole machine freezes in
Firefox frequently. According to this,
http://www.x.org/wiki/IntelGraphicsDriver, the 2.8.0 driver drops
support for XAA and EXA, but has no UXA support for my graphics card
(865G), so I think I'm getting no 2D acceleration. Could that be the
reason Firefox is so slow? As for the freezes, I think that's just
because the newer driver is unstable. What are the optimum driver and
kernel versions for my graphics card, the 865G? Also, the reason I'm
using the 2.6.31 kernel is because that X.Org wiki page says it works
best with the 2.8.0 intel driver. Oh, and what exactly is the kernel
module for and what are the differences between the i830 and i915? 

Pappy told me I should use kernel .27, and that KMS support right now
for my card is very unstable. Anyway, I just want to know the best
options right now for my card which is the 865G.