[Xorg] DRI merging

[Jon Smirl]

--- Matt Sealey <matt at genesi.co.uk> wrote:
> We need a low-level "kernel" graphics API (much like Windows
> has, although Windows favours microkernels with high-level
> kernel functionality, rather than monolithic kernels with
> user-level functionality.. the two philosophies are at odds)
> which can perform and accelerate the expected functionality of
> everything from router to PDA, past desktop to display of
> remote-served apps.

I'm not proposing a new kernel graphics API. Instead I am proposing that the
primary user space graphics API be OpenGL. This make no comment on what the
kernel API would look like. In fact I would expect that there will be many
variations on the kernel API. The proposal is simply that the OpenGL API becomes
the primary user space API for programming the graphics hardware.

This does not mean that X is dead. xserver is in the middle of implementing xlib
and render on top of the OpenGL drawing API. OpenGL would be used to replace XAA
in the current XFree system. All existing X apps won't notice the change except
that drawing gets faster.

Some points in favor of OpenGL as the primary user-space graphics API
1) accelerated graphics hardware is designed to accelerate OpenGL
2) it is standardized and controlled by the ARB, OpenGL is well designed.
3) free implementations exist
4) it is taught in schools
5) books on it are widely available
6) It is higher level than XAA. This provides more room for hardware integration
over time. For example filters.
7) It can run on 2D hardware - software mesa
8) It can be made tiny - OpenGL-ES is 100K and it is shipping in cell phones
9) Key vendors - ATI/Nvidia already own OpenGL drivers

Try making a list like this for other solutions like directfb or kgi and see how
they compare.

=====
Jon Smirl
jonsmirl at yahoo.com


	
		
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Friends.  Fun.  Try the all-new Yahoo! Messenger.
http://messenger.yahoo.com/