> >Also, there's a bit of a question mark
> >hanging over the future of OpenGL (Most of it's technology is owned by
> >patents - the majority I think were held by NVidia, but I think Microsoft
> >has started buying them).
This has to be misinformation. Look at the www.opengl.org for accurate information.
OpenGL originates with SGI. Developers using the API do so free of licensing
charges. Hardware implementers of extensions have a different story but this
is true of any of the APIs, DirectX included. Suppose Nvidea have new clever
trick in hardware and expose it via an extension. Another hardware developer
will have to talk to Nvidea to build same trick into their hardware. Same with
DirectX.
The extension mechanism means you can get at custom hardware functionality
fast. Typically hardware makers develop an extension and expose it OpenGL
through via the extension API (eg NV_EXT_xxxxxx). Developers can write for
it the moment the driver appears. With DirectX its more complicated. Wait for
next version. Extensions typically move from manufacture-specific to ARB
extensions and then a LOT later on into a version of OpenGL.
GLscene (www.glscene.org) is partly ported to Linux. You CAN port the program
to Linux which you cant with DirectX. And so the battle goes on...
DirectX gets more like OpenGL with every new release. Who knows what the
outcome of this war will be. Meanwhile though, I don't think OpenGL is disappearing
and you definitely don't want to be committing to DirectX if there is chance the
app will be multiplatform. The other complaint from DirectX programmers is the
lack of backward capatiability. Writing DX8 is a rewrite of your DX6 code.
----------------------------------------------------------
Phil Scadden, Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences
764 Cumberland St, Private Bag 1930, Dunedin, New Zealand
Ph +64 3 4799663, fax +64 3 477 5232
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
New Zealand Delphi Users group - Delphi List - [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Website: http://www.delphi.org.nz
To UnSub, send email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
with body of "unsubscribe delphi"
Web Archive at: http://www.mail-archive.com/delphi%40delphi.org.nz/
