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Is It Time For an OpenGL Gaming Revolution?
MrSeb writes "In a twist that reinforces Valve's distaste for Windows 8, it turns out that the Source engine — the 3D engine that powers Half Life 2, Left 4 Dead, and Dota 2 — runs faster on Ubuntu 12.04 and OpenGL (315 fps) than Windows 7 and DirectX/Direct3D (270.6 fps); almost a 20% speed-up. These figures are remarkable, considering Valve has been refining the Source engine's performance under Windows for almost 10 years, while the Valve Linux team has only been working on the Linux port of Source for a few months. Valve attributes the speed-up to the 'underlying efficiency of the [Linux] kernel and OpenGL.' But here's the best bit: Using these new OpenGL optimizations to the Source engine, the OpenGL version of L4D2 on Windows is now faster than the DirectX version (303.4 fps vs. 270.6 fps). If OpenGL is faster, and it has a comparable feature set, and hardware support is excellent... why is Direct3D still the de facto API? With Windows losing its gaming crown and smartphones (OpenGL ES!) gaining in popularity, is it time for an OpenGL revolution?"
Yes because one gaming company decides it doesn't like windows and makes a Linux port. It must mean that it is an industry change.
Windows 8 other then a few UI changes isn't that different then 7. So while games may not be ported to metro. They will still run well as full screen apps in desktop mode in windows 8.
I expect the death of windows will be the death of the desktop. Linux will not rise to a new Desktop golden age. But a withered desktop age with Linux. Major software companies will put more effort in the tablet and more portable touch displays.
And all of us big desktop fans will be relegated to the mainframe fossils
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.