Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : 3DFX -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Sun Tzu who wrote (13257)	6/14/1999 2:39:00 PM
From: Chip Anderson	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 16960

Sun, I'm confused. You seem to be arguing against yourself on this Glide good/bad thing. Can you summarize your position again? The Gates/Jobs things is "Pirates of Silicon Valley" coming on TBS this week (Wednesday?). Chip stockcharts.com

To: Sun Tzu who wrote (13257)	6/14/1999 3:06:00 PM
From: Peter S.	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 16960

Sun, I have known people to use compatability as a factor in their choice of a video card. Several, in fact. I have read your arguments and I just don't see what good it would do 3dfx to release Glide licenses. D3D was a way for MS to sell more Windows I guess but 3dfx sells hardware so the principles are different. I don't think releasing Glide will generate more sales of Voodoo chips. Also, if they felt they needed to sell it in order to give themselves a kick in the pants that would be a strange decision indeed. 3dfx would be better served by improving their D3D performance. We will just have to agree to disagree. Peter S

To: Sun Tzu who wrote (13257)	6/14/1999 4:18:00 PM
From: Patrick Grinsell	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 16960

About Glide's Intent... There is absolutely, positively, no point for 3dfx to license Glide to anyone else. There already is a glide wrapper made for every card out there right now...it's called Direct3d. Who's going to pay money to license Glide when IHV's get direct3d for free? Why would 3dfx want to support the headache of multiple hardware platforms for their proprietary software? They answer is that they wouldn't. How about 3dfx now just lets other use Glide without licensing fee or support? Wrong again. The inevitible corruption/dilution of the API would result in something similar to what has happened with Java. Microsoft took Java and broke it. Ever wonder why most web site have a Netscape and IE versions? Mostly it because each browser uses a different version of Java and makes it a pain in the butt to work with. Lastly, 3dfx would be giving away a reason to buy 3dfx hardware alone. Glide is close to the hardware. That's its sole reason for existence. Before 3dfx goes down this route I'd rather see them make hardware highly optimized for OpenGL (and possibly do some OpenGL calls in hardware like they've done with windows 2d). To sum up: 3dfx already has an API that everybody else can use. It's called Direct3d. Nobody will pay to license Glide and they would have to give away one of the only edges they still have over the rest of the market. Pat