Well, I figure out I am missing something. I am used to clean gl interface and I really cannot tell you how much I dislike the ugly pointer-to-void-pointer casts, those arguments which needs to be passed by pointer while they could be passed by reference as easily, the device enumeration method... So, I probably miss something really important about programming using DX. I would like someone to explain this to me because I feel I really need this to improve my future coding style, or at least to learn something which looks quite important. Thanks in advance!

Actuarly you are not missing anything important when programming DX.

It''s hard.
It''s complicated.
And it uses COM objects.

Com objects are an unnessesary evil that microsoft invented.
they are like nukes.
If you use them right then they will do their job(half assed), but it might not work as expected.
If you use them wrong then your basicly screwed and the world will come to an horrific end(in this case your computer will implode and bite your head off).

openGL can do anything DX(the D3D part of it anyway) can.

(did i mention that i strongly dislike DX and COM)

You basically never see com anymore. It''s very clean if you ask me. But anyway, this is just a flamebait thread, so I''d recommend someone close it.


Gamedev for learning.
libGDN for putting it all together.
An opensource, cross platform, cross API game development library.

Please, this is not a dx vs gl thread - I perfectly know the difference. I perfectly know GL does not handle input or sound. I already read of a lot of flamewars between d3d ang gl.

The fact is that I see some people actually likes the interface. Well, I am living with it but I always dream something my be more clean. Some people says "it is not so bad".

So, I probably need to rethink the interface itself by another point of view. Probably mine is wrong, so the interface looks not so good. However, by changing the point of view, I may find more justified things in it.
Nonetheless, it may turn out very useful to learn something new!

No doubt DX usefulness. No one is pointing the problem on that. If you want to know, I think D3D is cool, DI is good (probably the best around, don't know how to support vibration feedback using other APIs), DSound/DMusic sounds well.
No doubt after wrapping DX in some objects everything will look fine. No problem on finding differences between GL and DX. If I have not pointed this out in my previous post, it is my fault. I don't like flamewars. I am just asking someone to explain its point of view on that.

Now, this is not really important, it will just make my coding experience happier.


EDIT:
Actually read again the replies. Looks like the replies are a bit OT. They say "No it is not bad" or "Yes it is". A bit too little. I don't find interesting this since it won't change nothing... After that post, I hope the replies to be a bit more discorsive and less ... hot?

I was actually fearing what will have happened posted this. I realize my fear was fonded. __If the topic goes mad, granted, I will contact the forum admin so he will seal up this thread since I find somewhat irritating to read people flaming out even when not needed.__
I don't see the point in using a forum to spread out flames which does not actually help anyone.
If someone actually find **why** it is how it is, I am asking for his/her help so I can know also.

I perfectly admit **my** point of view is **wrong** but since I am not able to find the **right one** I am asking for someone to explain their opinions on the topic.
If you don't know / understant what this means, simply ask for more clarifications. No doubt text can actually be used to understand things which are not said. The spirit of the question unluckly, goes lost when using this kind of communication channels.
So, if you actually know how to help me with this (it is not DX problem, it's **my** problem not understanding why it works how it works), please just say "I can't help you" or just leave the reply blank. There's nothing wrong in doing this. I will appreciate replies like (1), but I prefer a dead topic than a flamed one.
So, if you want to just say "this is good" and "this is bad", please don't do it, leave your opinions for you.
I would be able to write 1000 lines just to let you found out the true spirit of the question.

[edited by - Krohm on May 2, 2003 5:34:11 AM]

I don''t want to get into this because everyone knows I favor OpenGL over DX, but, I think people are really talking D3D vs OpenGL, and really shouldn''t compare both API''s because OpenGL is far different. OpenGL is only for graphics, and it is portable. DX is the complete opposite in both respects. DX tries to be everything you need for the windows API, OpenGL is all about rendering on any platform, and using OpenGL you need to do everything else for yourself. Neither of them will be going away anytime soon, and both D3D and GL are about the same in the area of performance. So you see, there is nothing to argue about.

(Now please kill this thread before it becomes another 5 pages full of AP flames..)

You''re not going to get an honest answer.

Why? Because almost everyone is biased towards OpenGL or D3D.

Personally, I don''t mind D3D, but I like GL better (been coding GL longer).

I find that pointers-to-pointers-to-pointers (etc) make the coder look cool, but the code a bitch to read

Luke, your reply is more appreciated than you might think. I am really happy someone is able to say it''s opinion in a civil manner.