*BSD News Article 71927


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From: ian@five-d.com (Ian Kemmish)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.api.misc,comp.graphics.algorithms,comp.windows.x.i386unix,gnu.misc.discuss,comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc,comp.os.linux.development.apps
Subject: Re: Freeware community needs 3d library NOW
Date: 24 Jun 1996 17:42:05 GMT
Organization: At home with Ian
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In article <4qlf04$7pj@guysmiley.blarg.net>, vanevery@blarg.net says...
>

>Microsoft's umbrella allows 3d accelerator vendors to hide their board
>specs behind the Direct3d API.  Because Direct3d will be popular,
>there is no market incentive for 3d vendors to seek an alternative.

Which means that all you have to do is make sure that at some point your own 
library leads out to the D3D device driver API....>

>If the freeware community does not act _fast_, then freeware platforms
>such as Linux, FreeBSD, XFree86, GNU, etc. will be forever
>crippled as 3d platforms.  They will simply never catch up.

People currently write device drivers for existing 2D chipsets for these 
freeware platforms, so the interface details must be available.  What makes 
interfacing to 3D chipsets different?  If they're all going to be working to 
the D3D API, then surely the situation becomes easier, not harder, than at 
present?

And not to put too fine a point on it, MS first announced its 3D API four 
years ago, when it wasn't going to be compatible with OpenGL.... the chipset 
manufactuerers didn't jump very quickly then.


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Ian Kemmish                 18 Durham Close, Biggleswade, Beds SG18 8HZ
ian@five-d.com              Tel: +44 1767 601 361   Fax: +44 1767 312 006
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