Graphics Library for D

[Mike Parker]

On Wednesday, 8 January 2014 at 09:34:20 UTC, Jacob Carlborg 
wrote:

>
> I'm saying it would be nice to have access to the platform 
> handles (and similar) when the high level API isn't enough.
>

Perhaps. But I would argue that if you need that sort of access 
then you should be using a more specialized library anyway. I'm 
under the impression that what we're discussing here is something 
simple and easy to use. That can cover a wide range of use cases 
without accessing the low level, but would be an impedement if 
you do need the low level.

>> Honestly, I'd prefer not to see this package in Phobos at all. 
>> That
>> implies a number of constraints, both design time and run 
>> time, that
>> would not be necessary if it were left as a third-party 
>> dub-enabled
>> package. Anything in Phobos has to work where D works, be it 
>> on a
>> headless server or a tweaked-out gaming rig, or on an old 
>> system or a
>> future one. Maximum portability and maintainability need to 
>> take
>> priority over performance. If the graphics API can't work in 
>> all of
>> those possible environments, then it has no business being 
>> part of the
>> standard library.
>
> I think you're exaggerating a bit. I wouldn't expect a graphics 
> library to work if I don't have a screen and/or graphics card.

Rendering to a memory buffer to generate png images is a 
legitimate use case. If Phobos has a graphics API, I would expect 
that to be supported even when no gpu is present.


> Do you expect std.net/socket to work without a NIC?
>

That's different. A gpu is only required for *hardware 
accelerated* rendering. And I don't think Phobos should require 
it.


> I would like to see it as an official library distributed with 
> D, but not necessarily included in Phobos.

Whether it's distributed with the compiler as an optional package 
or simply maintained in the D organization at github and 
distributed through dub, either case is better than making it 
part of the standard lib, IMO. Then more liberty can be taken 
with the requirements.