"The truth is that this is the first post of the Valve Linux blog. This blog is where you can find the latest information from Valve about our Linux development efforts. Avoid the rumors and speculations that multiply on the Web. Instead, come to the source - a blog where people who are interested in Linux and open source game development can get the latest information on Valve's efforts in this arena. In this initial post, we'll introduce the team (and a bit of its history) and then give you a snapshot of what we're currently doing." Steam, Source, and Left 4 Dead 2 coming to Linux. We know why.
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Member since:2010-05-16
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> support SOME of the features THIS way if its AMD, THAT way if
OpenGL is a low-level API. Normally, games developers using OpenGL don't use it directly, but through a higher level library. That higher level library is the one that also deals with the different cases (Windows, Linux, Mac, Android, iPhones, the version that consoles use, etc.). Some people think (me, too) that OpenGL should do some of the work that those higher level libraries do.
In http://www.opengl.org/ they seem to be happy with the idea that Intel and Valve collaborate with the Intel Mesa driver and so, since on July 17 they announced in the front page:
Valve ports Left for Dead 2 to Ubuntu with OpenGL
Valve Software has started a new Linux blog; the first entry discusses their port of Left for Dead 2 to Ubuntu Linux. Future work involves “optimizing a version of L4D2 running at a high frame rate with OpenGL”, porting the Steam client, and “porting additional Valve titles”.
> And how EXACTLY does that fix
No, that doesn't fix it. Improving drivers and the Source engine is a good thing but also... the proposal of forking, that you said, keeps being valid.
Member since:2007-11-11
Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with Valve and Intel working together, just that it still doesn't solve the problem.
The problem, and the reason why so many ignore OpenGL for DirectX is just as you state that DirectX does take some of the higher level work out of it and more importantly DirectX 10 is DirectX 10 period. It doesn't matter which card it is, if its an HD5450 or the latest Nvidia, if it says DirectX 10 then you know what it supports and the only question is how fast will it pump those features out.
That is why I've been saying for years the community needs to fork OpenGL, because when you are talking about something like graphics subsystems, where even being a second or two off can cause quite noticeable problems and even make a game unplayable, the use of shims and extensions is frankly unacceptable.
So I do hope this one day gets fixed, that OpenGL again becomes a truly viable alternative to DirectX for developers instead of needing to put in more work just to get the same level of output. Of all the places one could use shims and extensions something as time critical as graphics is simply not the place to do it, but time and again Kronos has made it clear they care about CAD more than they do about gaming.
At an event earlier today, Microsoft unveiled the next Xbox - the third model, but confusingly named Xbox One. The big focus was TV, integrated Kinect, and all the other stuff we all expected to be forced down our throats. I think it took them 25 minutes to actually come to what should be the core of the story: gaming. Nothing groundbreaking in the gaming department, except for how Microsoft intends to handle the used games market and borrowing games from friends: pay up, buddy!
The day has finally come! Jolla has finally announced the launch device for its Sailfish operating system - and by god this is a looker. It's decidedly different from other phones out there, but it has good specifications and carries a relatively reasonably price tag - EUR 399, and it's up for pre-order today, shipping in the fourth quarter of this year.
Why does Google get so much credit in the technology industry? Why, despite the company's many obvious failings, do many geeks and enthusiasts still hold a somewhat positive view on the all-knowing technology giant? A specific talk at Google I/O this week provides the answer.
OSNews is a sponsor of this year's O'Reilly OSCON in Portland, Oregon, USA. A lucky OSNews reader will win a free three-day pass, including two tutorials days. To win the pass, post a comment on this story saying something about Open Source Software or OSCON. We'll pick a winner at random next week. If you don't have an OSNews account, you may email us your entry. Part of the conference is the 9th annual Open Source Awards, and today the 16th is the deadline for nominations. If you'd like to nominate an outstanding open source contributor, do it here. Read on for more information about OSCON. Update: The 20% discount code for OSNews readers is "OSN."
"Windows is indeed slower than other operating systems in many scenarios, and the gap is worsening." That's one way to start an insider explanation of why Windows' performance isn't up to snuff. Written by someone who actually contributes code to the Windows NT kernel, the comment on Hacker News, later deleted but reposted with permission on Marc Bevand's blog, paints a very dreary picture of the state of Windows development. The root issue? Think of how Linux is developed, and you'll know the answer.
This is one of those news items that's fun to write, fun to read, fun to comment on, and where no one will be able to say anything unkind. It's all just one big ball of awesome fluffiness. TuneTracker, the BeOS radio automation software, has just released something very special: TuneTracker System 5, the first version designed entirely and specifically for Haiku. In fact, it actually includes Haiku in the software package. Better yet, TuneTracker also unveiled several system-in-a-box products - which have Haiku and TuneTracker pre-installed.
Exactly twenty years ago, a document was published that played a huge role in establishing the web as we know it today. Twenty years later, and this simple and straightforward document is proof of an irrefutable fact: while closed technologies can change markets, open technologies can change the world.Oh multitasking. That staple of computing that got thrown out the window with many modern smartphones. We got some rudimentary thing in its place - but even as multitasking on phone and tablets improves, its user-visible side remains cumbersome. Windows 8 has a neat implementation, and now it's time Android follows in it footsteps.They're here! Whether that excites you or not remains to be seen, but the Galaxy S4, which will most likely become the best selling Android smartphone of the year by a huge margin, has been reviewed by all the major sites, and there's lots of interesting conclusions in there - although I think most of you will get the gist.Nokia has posted its quarterly results for the first quarter of 2013, and just like the quarters that came before, there's not a whole lot of good news in there. The rise in Lumia sales still can't even dream of making up for the sales drop in Symbian phones, and when broken down in versions, the sales figures for Windows Phone 8 Lumias in particular are very disappointing. In North America, Nokia is getting slaughtered.
Member since:
2007-11-11
And how EXACTLY does that fix the fact that Kronos is letting OpenGL rot? It doesn't, all it will mean is that Intel will have "Valve approved" drivers for GPUs that frankly are still waaaay behind the curve. There is a good reason why Intel IGPs are looked upon as business laptop junk, because even a 3 year old AMD or Nvidia card will drink its milkshake while it stands there crying.
In the end the ONLY way you can fix this mess is the community fork openGL away from kronos, because they have made it clear its all about CAD to them, which isn't surprising since most of their money comes from CAD vendors. Until you can just say "OpenGL 4" and ANY game developer knows EXACTLY what features they have down the line and EXACTLY how it will behave its just not gonna compete. as it is now again the extensions mean it works one way for AMD, another way for Nvidia, and still a third for Intel. This won't change that because Kronos won't change.