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Mac OS X 10.6.3 to use OpenGL 3.0?

updated 10:30 am EST, Tue January 12, 2010

Support finds its way into dev builds


The next Snow Leopard update will support OpenGL 3.0, reports suggest. References to the graphics technology are said to lay within the latest developer builds of Mac OS X 10.6.3, although the OS is not yet fully compatible. An ATI utility indicates that 95 percent of v3.0 libraries are supported, missing only Shader Language 1.3.

OpenGL is a cross-platform rendering API, primarily directed at 3D graphics tasks such as gaming, CAD and visual effects. While the v3.0 standard has been present on Windows systems for some time, Mac owners have been limited to v2.1, an artificial ceiling given compatibility on modern Mac video cards. The lack of OpenGL 3.0 support in Snow Leopard may in fact be harming the Mac gaming industry, as it makes it harder to compete with Windows titles, or even port over some modern Windows games.


by MacNN Staff

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TAGS :

 gaming, software, digital imaging, developer, Mac OS X, OpenGL, Snow Leopard

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  1. testudo

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2001

    +1
    01/12, 11:51am | report spam | (2 replies) Reply |

    really?

    Is such a big change something that should be rolled out as part of a maintenance release?

  1. _Rick_V_

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Mar 2003

    +1
    01/12, 02:19pm | report spam | Reply |

    Re: Really?

    I agree, testudo. It is so stupidly unlikely I cry foul. There's no way Apple would roll out a major release like this in a x.x.3 maintenance release.

    Now, they *could* roll it out as a separately installed release (much like a iTunes or Safari release)....

  1. testudo

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2001

    +1
    01/12, 03:29pm | report spam | Reply |

    cost?

    But can they roll it out at all? Isn't there some cost involved because it is adding functionality to my computer that I didn't already pay for, the same reason iPod touch owners keep getting fingered to pay for OS updates?

  1. _Rick_V_

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Mar 2003

    +4
    01/12, 05:36pm | report spam | Reply |

    Re: cost?

    It all really just depends on how the accountants booked the development of the software, which of course is for tax purposes. If, during the initial scoping of the project, they categorized it in the (quote-unquote) wrong category, you just can't switch it without major accounting headaches.

    My guess is that this will be a free update. It's already part of the operating system, and probably falls somehow under that. Just like Safari is a free download, and all those printer driver updates are free, etc...

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