OpenGL 3.2 specification released

The Khronos Group has announced the release of the specifications for version 3.2 of the OpenGL 2D and 3D graphics platform. The release is the third major update to the specification within a year and adds several new features, including enhanced performance, improved visual quality and accelerated geometry processing. The 3.2 update also makes it easier to port Direct3D applications and includes version 1.5 of the OpenGL Shading Language (GLSL).

The OpenGL 3.2 specification includes two new profiles that give developers the choice of using the Core profile for new application development or the Compatibility profile to provide backward compatibility with previous versions of OpenGL for existing applications. With the 3.2 release, the Khronos Group has defined a set of five new ARB (Architecture Review Board) extensions that take advantage of new features in the latest GPUs. Once their functionality has been proven and is widely adopted, the extensions will be included in a the core of a future version of OpenGL.

According to Khronos, the current installed base of OpenGL 3.2 compatible GPUs exceeds 150 million units. OpenGL competes with Microsoft's Direct3D technology, a part of the DirectX API. The full OpenGL specification is available from the OpenGL Registry web page.

(crve)