Apple Releases OpenGL 1.0 for Mac OS

Following up on its promise from last January’s Macworld Expo, Apple has released OpenGL 1.0 for the Mac OS. OpenGL is an application programming interface (API) for both two- and three-dimensional graphics originally developed by SGI and widely adopted as a standardized basis for high-quality, cross-platform graphics development. In addition to its obvious usefulness to games like Quake III, modeling and animation software, data analysis, and simulations can also take advantage of OpenGL’s features. OpenGL 1.0 for the Macintosh requires a PowerPC-based system running Mac OS 8.1 or higher with at least 32 MB of RAM (although G3-based systems are recommended), and includes QuickDraw 3D 1.6 and libraries to accelerate rendering on Macs with ATI RAGE II, RAGE Pro, and RAGE 128 video systems. If you’re a developer eager to start programming with OpenGL, grab the 4.7 MB OpenGL 1.0 package and check out Apple’s OpenGL developer materials; otherwise, gamers and other graphics aficionados shouldn’t have to wait very long for OpenGL-based games and applications to begin shipping on the Mac.