[geeks] Best Vista story I've seen

[Charles Shannon Hendrix]

On Mon, 19 Feb 2007 21:11:01 -0500
Joshua Boyd <jdboyd at jdboyd.net> wrote:

> On Mon, Feb 19, 2007 at 08:52:07PM -0500, Charles Shannon Hendrix wrote:
> 
> > I also heard that a lot of Vista sound drivers are unaccelerated, which
> > seems to jive with previous Microsoft statements about not supporting
> > accelerated sound hardware.
> 
> Interestingly, DirectSound3D support is dropped.  Also dropped is
> hardware mixing for DirectSound.  However, OpenAL drivers can still
> accellerate whatever they want to, so games that chose to use OpenAL (a
> cross platform standard, prefered by Apple and supported on Linux) will
> still get accelerated sound.  

Yes, it is nice to see OpenAL finally make headway, after so many
years.  Linux games used it a lot, especially those from now-defunct Loki
Games.  I'm kind of surprised to see Microsoft adopt it.  Anyone have any
information on why?

Is Microsoft actually doing something good?

Is it a feud with Creative?

Also, Microsoft's heavy DRM and authentication system relies on control of
the entire API including sound... so how can they support cross-platform
OpenAL?

Are they going to "embrace and extend" it?

It is an interesting move for them, whatever their plans are. I was kind of
surprised by it.

So far, I have yet to see accelerated OpenAL or EAX's capability, but I
imagine that it will come if Microsoft is really serious about pushing its
use.

It would help remove the hammer lock Creative has on game sound, and give
other sound card makers a more level and open playing field, and give game
companies one less excuse for not writing portable software.

...which again, seems unusual for Microsoft.

Would be nice though.


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