Via Technologies has laid out a new initiative to improve support for the open source development community.

The chip maker will launch an official Via Linux website this month as a first step in the programme.

The site will initially host drivers, technical documentation, source code and information regarding the CN700, CX700/M, CN896 and the new VX800 chipsets. Official forums and support for more products will be added later this year.

Via has also pledged to work closely with the open source community to improve 2D, 3D and video playback acceleration on Linux operating systems using Via processor platforms.

"This announcement is the first step in the implementation of our new initiative to better serve the needs of the open source community," said Richard Brown, vice president of corporate marketing at Via.

To help improve co-operation with the community, Via will also adhere to a regular quarterly release schedule aligned with kernel changes and the release of major Linux distributions.

In addition, beta releases will be issued on the site as needed, and a bug report and tracking feature will also be integrated.

The response from the open source community has been positive. "We are delighted that Via has announced its commitment to enhance support for the Linux and open source community," said Jim Zemlin, executive director at The Linux Foundation.

"This will open up exciting new opportunities for accelerating open source innovation around Via platforms, ultimately delivering a better user experience. "