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MS Buys (Some) SGI Patents

Posted by Hemos on from the render-faster-and-faster dept.

FatRatBastard writes "The Reg. is reporting that Microsoft has purchased the rights to most of SGI's 3D patents. Speculation from the Reg hacks is that MS may want the patents more for crushing OpenGL support than for technology they're building inhouse." Well, crush is strong - but it would give them more leverage with some hardware vendors for sure.

10 of 325 comments (clear)

  1. pushing directx? by oo7tushar · · Score: 2, Funny

    I know that directx has improved greatly over the years making it much nicer and easier to use. Does anybody know if they're porting it to Linux?

    WINE supports it, but are they going to modify so that it can be used like glut and opengl in X apps?

    --
    internet like monkeys'
    1. Re:pushing directx? by scott1853 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Yes, MS is working very hard on creating software to support rival operating systems so that they can create a competitive marketplace.

  2. Only the first step. by Rothfuss · · Score: 5, Funny


    I believe this is just the first step in a larger attempt by Microsoft to buy the entire 3rd Dimension.

    I'm really going to hate having to pay them royalties when I'm using it.

    -Rothfuss

    1. Re:Only the first step. by pyros · · Score: 3, Funny

      I can just see MS asking SGI about the thrid dimension....

      SGI: okay, take an ordinary square
      MS: slow down there egghead.

    2. Re:Only the first step. by JabberWokky · · Score: 3, Funny
      I'll move to flatland. I figure I'll at least be a square. Maybe a pentagon.

      Be a square. Otherwise you run the risk of having little flatland planes flown into you.

      obConcept: In flatland, three fixed broadcast antennas can perform "GPS". But do you need "line of sight"? Are all EM waves polarized? Ahhh... no... not the "Physics in Flatland" Nightmares again. --
      Evan "I wanna be a line segment" E.

      --
      "$30 for the One True Ring. $10 each additional ring!" -- JRR "Bob" Tolkien
  3. Hmmm by Guitarzan · · Score: 1, Funny

    So now MS can use some of the GL tech on improving Direct3D!

    No, wait, that's crazy talk.

  4. How about they buy the "sgi" logo... by green+pizza · · Score: 3, Funny

    ... so Silicon Graphics can go back to the "cube" logo!

  5. remember Java by oo7tushar · · Score: 5, Funny

    Remember how MS made their own Java VM and modified the language to suit themselves?

    Perhaps they're aiming for MS OpenGL (MS OpenJelly, lube up and aim for penetration)

    (please don't troll me)

    --
    internet like monkeys'
  6. Re:First SoftImage, now SGI by Proteus+Child · · Score: 5, Funny
    Looks like MS wants to muscle in ILM's territory ...

    There's a mental image - sitting in the audience watching episode II and the screen suddenly turns bright blue in the middle of a fighter battle...

    --

    Proteus' Child

    Doko ni datte; hito wa, tsunagette iru.

  7. Not good by barole · · Score: 3, Funny
    Microsoft does not want OpenGL on windows because it means that applications aren't tied to the windows platform. Unfortunately for them, they can't say this openly - people need OpenGL and many will move to other platforms to get it.

    So, Microsoft says all the right things - that they support OpenGL and include it as part of windows. However, it is a bit like their half-hearted posix mode. Win2k does not included any hardware acceleration for Opengl (according to the register). Also, OpenGL on win32 is stuck at an old version (1.1? or 1.0) and extensions and more recent (eg 1.2) features must be used via their ugly extension mechanism. Microsoft backed out of their agreement with SGI on Fahrenheit - burning SGI in the process.