I've been thinking about what sort of API you could provide to abstract all those different libs, and it occurs to me that Opengl, DevIL and OpenAL already use a similar 'state-machine' style.

On a more general note, I'm starting to think that a centralised resource for getting hold of and learning to use the open libraries is actually more of an issue than providing a common API.

Bothe DevIL and OpenAL were designed to fit alongside OpenGL...so using them as a kind of DX setup seems natural...(havent tried HawkNL, that probably is too).

I dont think GLUT and GLEE (or substitues) should be counted as separate libraries...they should just be shoved as sub-headings in the OpenGL section..as GLu is, and ALut ALu and ALc are with OpenAL. They are simply extending OpenGL (especially GLEE :p).

-Twixn-

how about rewriting favorites of glut and sdl and mix them together and maybe i would like the library/api/engine. use sdl for mainly 2d and input use glut for setting up the whole mess.

I dont see any reason to NOT try to set something like this up, I wouldnt mind setting up a small group that would choose a set of open source libraries to create a "game programming library" (because the next best thing to pleasing everyone is pleasing most lol). PM me if your interested.

cheers
-Dan

There have been a few attempts at similar things (one of them by me). ClanLib is somewhat similar, and my old project (the now ultra-defunct and originally 2D only) ZEngine are two such projects that I know of. It does seem to me there are people looking for this sort of thing, I still get a few emails a month from people using ZEngine (which really suprises me, so I figure there truly is a need for this sort of thing or they would have moved on).

Also as far as libraries go, I'd say try to keep them as free as possible, so RakNet is out as is FMod. Keeping the utility libraries as free as possible eases distribution/confusion. I'd recommend nothing more restrictive than the LGPL (and avoiding the LGPL where it can be avoided).

I've played around a lot (and I do mean a lot) with the options, I'd recommend:
OpenGL for graphics
OpenAL for audio*
Corona for image loading (less bloat, more free than DevIL)
GLFW for input/window management
GLee for extensions

*I'm not a big LGPL fan, but OpenAL is LGPL, and there aren't many other options.