personally the greatest benifit of opengl over d3d is 80-90percent of the 3d tut''s/code examples are written with opengl.
also another point is with each new version of opengl u can keep using your old code unlike d3d where book ''blah blah for d3d7'' is rendered obsolete with the release of d3d8.

though this''ll change in 6months with the release of opengl2.0 though apparently its still gonna be backward compatible

AP: if you say so. there isn''t an argument posted that defines one API a winner over the other.

DirectX encompasses (dinput, dsound, dplay, etc). who cares i going to use the API that allows me to develop the best product regardless if i have to use 2, 3 or 10 API''s. this is a personal choice that only the coder can make (do i want to use 1 or 2 API''s?).

DirectX is only available on Windows. well, if someone really wanted to use DirectX on another platform all they would have to do is implement it on the particular platform (and yeah i know they wouldn''t be able to call it DirectX). there may be slight changes (i.e. COM stuff) but nothing a few "#ifdef"''s couldn''t take care of. this again is a personal choice.

OpenGL is easier to use. well it is IMHO. but again that''s relative to the programmer. some people like using MFC because it''s easy to get things gooing. i don''t, because i don''t think along the lines of MFC (old school coder). it''s a personal choice.

OpenGL looks better graphically. ok, this is utter b/s. it''s the same hardware. furthermore, "better" is a relative word. WHAT''s better (lighting, performance, pixel shaders, etc).
personal choice.

DirectX is Microsoft''s ploy to lock everyone into the Windows environment. this is the only post that is an absolute truth, IMHO. OF COURSE WE CAN ONLY SPECULATE. but if we look at their track record, i wouldn''t put it past them.

OpenGL is better because id software uses it. although i agree with John Carmack. and always have. in fact i thought OpenGL was much better even before i played glQuake. unfortunately, this is not an argument. this is a statement about the preferences of one man (or company). it''s your choice to agree with him or not.

do you want me to continue, i didn''t think so.

now you may think that i''m just some smart ass who tries to talk down to people. well, i''m not. if you want to keep arguing this pointless debate, go ahead. it''s your time. but the simplest way to find the answer for yourself, is to try both API''s and decide which one conforms more to your style or preference. it''s a presonal preference, and YOU KNOW IT.

peace.

To the vast majority of mankind, nothing is more agreeable than to escape the need for mental exertion... To most people, nothing is more troublesome than the effort of thinking.