DirectX, a Win32 replacement for DCI and WinG API

With Microsoft Windows 95® on the verge of being launched a strange proposition hit three brains in Microsoft. They knew that people would accept the new Windows software only if they found it had some value. With graphics and gaming being in demand in mid 90s, they knew that if they had to beat the Disk Operating System which allowed users to access drives, videos directly, they had to come up with something new. The complexity of the whole problem was raised by the fact that Windows 95® was designed to run on a restricted memory model. Days of frenetic research and development, saw the development and release of the first version of DirectX which is touted to be the best ever graphics library software ever since Microsoft Products have been released.

What does DirectX do?

What started as a simple job of managing multimedia tasks with its collection of application programming interfaces, DirectX has revolutionized itself to find compatibility with the .NET framework of Microsoft. The functionality of DirectX to provide high quality graphics in a short time ensured that it found immediate favor with the engineering sector. As is the case with most of the Microsoft products, they are completely free but the only issue being they are not share-ware. Which means not everyone can share the license. With Windows Vista already hitting the homes of desktop users, DirectX has come up with newer versions of the graphic library software, DirectX 10 and DirectX 9Ex.

DirectX Components

With it being provided as a Component Object Model interface, DirectX has found immediate use of its applications is almost all sections multimedia, most notably graphics. With two APIs at its disposal, DirectX Graphics is the most wanted and the premier graphics library software. In case you wish to draw 2D Graphics, you must use DirectDraw. Should you wish to draw 3D Graphics, you must go for Direct 3D. The fact that Direct 3D is also employed for designing computer games for Microsoft Xbox and Microsoft Xbox 360. With 3D Graphic Designing on the rise by the day, Direct 3D allows you the leverage to run an application in one full window unlike others which sandwich the application running window in another window. With all advanced techniques like z-buffering, mipmapping, alpha bending at its repertoire, Direct 3D opens the users to most of the advanced graphic capabilities. Direct 3D is not where the want for innovation of Microsoft products. The brains in Microsoft are working overtime to release new, updated versions of the Direct 3D. With a comprehensive system architecture combined with exhaustively tested and designed code, Direct 3D is the leader all the way. Though, it is facing stiff challenge from Open GL, I must say that Direct 3D has penetrated the market and established its customer base.

So, if you graphics library software are the three words which interest you the most, you must look at laying your hands on the latest version of DirectX Graphics Application.

And honestly, you would not return disappointed.