The next version of Microsoft's multimedia programming library--know as
DirectX--is due in June and will include new features the company hopes
will spur non-game development. DirectX is a set of programming libraries
that programmers currently use primarily for games development. It
consists of DirectDraw (for fast 2D drawing performance), DirectSound,
Direct3D (for fast 3D effects), DirectInput (joysticks and other input
devices), and DirectPlay (modem and LAN gaming). The new version adds
file formats and services for multimedia authors, entertainment, and
communications purposes.
DirectX 5.0 (version 4.0 was skipped for some reason) will add support for
the "Talisman" rendering code, Intel MMX and AGP, and the new unified
Windows Driver Model (WDM). Other new feature are the DirectX Media
Services (for synchronizing events), the Microsoft Active Streaming
Format (ASF), multi-monitor support, and USB support. DirectX 5.0 also
supports the Java programming language in addition to the C support in
previous versions.
Kevin Dallas, Microsoft group product manager for DirectX, says that
Microsoft is targeting four key areas with this release: games and
entertainment, authoring tools, Internet publishing, and real-time
communications. "We're focusing it completely on the convergence of
multimedia and the Internet," he said.
Microsoft will ship a beta of DirectX 5.0 to developers this week with a
second beta expected in late April. Macintosh and UNIX versions will
begin beta testing later this year.
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