OpenGL

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• OpenGL
• nicole hart
• csis 4490
• khoganson

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What is OpenGL? -OpenGL is a hardware
independent 2D and 3D rendering and 3D
hardware acceleration standard. -OpenGL
makes 3D effects possible without system
degradation. -OpenGL has been successful
because of its unrestrictive licensing system.
The royalty free system benefits hardware
makers.
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• OpenGL makes available to the programmer a
  small set of geometric primitives - points,
  lines, polygons, images, and bitmaps.
• It provides a set of commands that allow the
  specification of geometric objects in two or
  three dimensions, using the provided primitives,
  together with commands that control how these
  objects are rendered into the frame buffer.

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Why is it important to Linux?Portability.
OpenGL is hardware independent - OpenGL runtime
libraries ship with all Windows, MacOS, Linux
and Unix Sytems. Stability- High end
workstation and supercomputer users have been
utilizing OpenGL technologies since 1992.
Performance Expandability - OpenGL is
considered to be one the most powerful and
popular 3D solution for Windows, Linux, and Mac
computers alike. Most leading games such as
Quake III, Half-Life, MDK2, Madden NFL 2001
require OpenGL for hardware acceleration.
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Recent Events

• OpenGL 2.0. A 3DLabs Project
• OpenGL 2.0 is designed to
• add support for pixel and fragment shaders
• improve memory management and give applications
  more control over the rendering pipeline.
• Provide compatibility with OpenGL 1.3 - so older
  applications will run on graphics accelerators
  with OpenGL 2.0 drivers.

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3D Graphics World Shaken by Patent Claims
Recent Events

• Microsoft Stakes IP Claim on openGL

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Microsoft and OpenGL? In January of
2002, Microsoft purchased unspecified
Intellectual Property rights from Silicon
Graphics Inc (SGI) for 62.5 millionThe Non-
Core Technologies sold were said to represent
the bulk of SGIs IP assets. Microsoft isnt a
hardware vendor so why the vested interested in
OpenGL? Microsoft allegedly needed these
technologies to launch
as scheduled.
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• March 2002, Microsoft stated its claim with the
  OpenGL Architectural Review Board.
• Linux Impact
• Microsofts full position is still unclear.
• - 11 IP exchange with companies using OpenGL
  1.4, 1.3 and earlier
• versions
• - What could New companies entering the market
  
• that need OpenGL technology offer
  Microsoft?
• -The acquisition not only gives Microsoft a
  competitive advantage in
• the console business but also significant
  bargaining position with
• hardware vendors.
• - KDEs key developer, Hetz Ben Hamo, speculates
  MS may try to kill
• MESA, an OpenGL clone, unless MESA pays
  licensing fees.

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• Other companies have claims other
  technology in the
• OpenGL standard, but have chosen to forego
  those claims so that OpenGL can continue to
  prosper and remain royalty
• free.
• Because Microsofts position is unclear,
  the impact of
• Microsoft holding an OpenGL IP can only be
  speculated.
• Consider
• Is the Open source premise that many Linux and
  Unix systems in jeopardy?

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Sources

• http//www.slashdot.org
• http//news.zdnet.co.uk/story/0,,t269-s2118968,00.
  html