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NEXTSTEP graphics and SPARC port (was Re: brief status report)
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To: executor <executor@nacm.com>
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Subject: NEXTSTEP graphics and SPARC port (was Re: brief status report)
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From: Bill Chin <bchin@landp.co.uk>
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Date: Sun, 2 Apr 1995 13:28:07 +0100
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[comments about NEXTSTEP port by Joshua W Burton and Clifford
Thomas Matthews removed]
Presumably the "slow" blitter for NEXTSTEP is running at the
current speed. Right now, speed isn't my biggest concern, it's
the core emulation. The last beta release for NEXTSTEP is dated
November '94 and does not reliably run MS-Word; it's a few steps
back from 1.30e. I'd love to see some release that brings us up to
at least the current emulation level with color.
Presumably, you need help with the Interceptor API for direct
framebuffer manipulation, bypassing the Display Postcript graphics
for faster alternative graphics engine performance. Microsoft
calls this "advanced multimedia technology" and promotes it as a
new and exciting technology while NeXT develops it first, hides it
away and refuses to let most developers use it. _sigh_. I know
that SoftPC for NEXTSTEP, co-Xist (X11 package), and Doom II for
NEXTSTEP all use the Interceptor API. I know Insignia got the API
officially for SoftPC, but how did the rest get it? However, even
given official support for the Interceptor API, it is a good idea
to always have the "slow" mode as a back up. The Interceptor
stuff is very hardware dependent and if you run across a
framebuffer type you can't handle right away, at least you can use
the slow mode to draw.
Finally, any plans for a NEXTSTEP/SPARC port? If not, then this
is another reason to include the slow mode... I can run the app on
my mono NeXTstation with -NXHost and display it elsewhere (in
color). I cannot do this with an Interceptor based app.
Thanks!
..Bill Chin