X-Git-Url: https://git.libre-soc.org/?a=blobdiff_plain;f=docs%2Ffaq.html;h=9e78192a4eb6d12c37368051c2c3d1d0187747b4;hb=e1e439c51239f8129e678e437d7afb999232db8a;hp=448def5274f207dfe5956a25a53d52c28dea338b;hpb=0b27aceae2464db3dd149cf4fd667e353a655c5e;p=mesa.git diff --git a/docs/faq.html b/docs/faq.html index 448def5274f..9e78192a4eb 100644 --- a/docs/faq.html +++ b/docs/faq.html @@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
Mesa is an open-source implementation of the OpenGL specification. -OpenGL is a high-level programming library for interactive 3D graphics. +OpenGL is a programming library for writing interactive 3D applications. See the OpenGL website for more information.
-Mesa 5.0.x supports the OpenGL 1.4 specification. +Mesa 5.x supports the OpenGL 1.4 specification.
-Yes. Specifically, Mesa serves as the OpenGL core for the XFree86/DRI -OpenGL drivers. See the DRI website for -more information. +Yes. Specifically, Mesa serves as the OpenGL core for the open-source +XFree86/DRI OpenGL drivers. See the DRI +website for more information.
There have been other hardware drivers for Mesa over the years (such as @@ -53,57 +53,87 @@ the 3Dfx Glide/Voodoo driver, an old S3 driver, etc) but the DRI drivers are the modern ones.
--Commercial, hardware-accelerated OpenGL implementations are available for -many operating systems today. +Hardware-accelerated OpenGL implementations are available for most popular +operating systems today. Still, Mesa serves at least these purposes:
-You don't! The Mesa source code lives inside the XFree86/DRI source tree -and gets compiled into the individual DRI driver modules. +You don't! A copy of the Mesa source code lives inside the XFree86/DRI source +tree and gets compiled into the individual DRI driver modules. If you try to install Mesa over an XFree86/DRI installation, you'll lose -hardware rendering (because Mesa's libGL.so is different than the XFree86 -libGL.so). +hardware rendering (because stand-alone Mesa's libGL.so is different than +the XFree86 libGL.so).
The DRI developers will incorporate the latest release of Mesa into the DRI drivers when the time is right.
++To upgrade, either look for a new release of XFree86 or visit the +DRI website to see +if there's newer drivers. +
+-Yes, SGI's +Yes, SGI's OpenGL Sample Implemenation (SI) is available. The SI was written during the time that OpenGL was originally designed. Unfortunately, development of the SI has stagnated. Mesa is much more up to date with modern features and extensions.
-miniGL is a subset of OpenGL -for PalmOS devices. +miniGL +is a subset of OpenGL for PalmOS devices. + +
+TinyGL is a subset of OpenGL. +
+ ++SoftGL +is an OpenGL subset for mobile devices. +
-TinyGL is another -subset of OpenGL. ++Chromium +isn't a conventional OpenGL implementation (it's layered upon OpenGL), +but it does export the OpenGL API. It allows tiled rendering, sort-last +rendering, etc.
+ +-There may be others but Mesa is the most popular and feature-complete. +There may be other open OpenGL implementations, but Mesa is the most +popular and feature-complete.
On Linux-based systems you'll want to follow the -Linux ABI -standard. +Linux ABI standard. Basically you'll want the following:
If your DRI-based driver isn't working, go to the -DRI website for trouble-shooting information. +DRI website for trouble-shooting information.
@@ -238,7 +268,8 @@ hardware it has detected.Make sure the ratio of the far to near clipping planes isn't too great. Look - + here for details.
@@ -294,7 +325,7 @@ will fix the problem. is discussed.
-The +The OpenGL Specification is the bible for OpenGL implemention work. You should read it.
@@ -326,5 +357,22 @@ the archives) is a good way to get information. ++The specification for the extension +indicates that there are intellectual property (IP) and/or patent issues +to be dealt with. +
+We've been unsucessful in getting a response from S3 (or whoever owns +the IP nowadays) to indicate whether or not an open source project can +implement the extension (specifically the compression/decompression +algorithms). +
++Until we can get official permission to do so, this extension will not +be implemented in Mesa. +
+ +