[SDL] 2D API evolution (SDL 1.3/2.0)

[David Olofson]

On Tuesday 15 August 2006 22:29, Bob Pendleton wrote:
> On Tue, 2006-08-15 at 18:55 +0200, David Olofson wrote:
> > On Tuesday 15 August 2006 17:43, Torsten Giebl wrote:
> > > Hello !
> > > 
> > > 
> > > > Microsoft will be shipping their highly criticized
> > > > "opengl-over-directx" 
> > > > in windows vista. I see this as some form of progress.
> > > 
> > > But what i know if the Videocard Manf. implements in his
> > > driver full DX and OpenGL support it can be used under
> > > Vista with no problems.
> > 
> > Yes, but that only helps if you target hardcore gamers only.
> > Others will not know how to find and install the proper drivers,
> > so they're stuck with whatever Microsoft feels like putting on the
> > install CD. 
> 
> With the way things are going even at half the performance of
> DirectX many/most OpenGL games will run just fine on modern
> hardware. How many games push the envelope of what modern hardware
> can do? Not that many. Right now it looks like hardware development
> is starting to out pace the ability to use the hardware. Unless you
> have a multimillion dollar budget you aren't going to that worried
> about hardware performance.

Good point.

Although the latest Windows version doesn't have to run on the latest 
hardcore gaming hardware, I don't think people would be willing to 
run Vista on anything that doesn't have rather serious 3D 
acceleration - so we can probably assume that anything running Vista 
will be quite fast enough for any "sensible" applications.

Unfortunately, we're talking about an OS that hasn't even had an 
official release yet, and there are still people out there running 
Windows 95. The problem is not really solved until Windows XP and all 
versions before it are practically dead and forgotten. Seems like 
we'll have to put up with two 3D APIs for a few more years.


//David Olofson - Programmer, Composer, Open Source Advocate

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