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Amusing OpenGL extension specification

The OpenGL 3D graphics API has a well-defined mechanism for extension by third parties, and extension by vendors provides it much of its modern power. Part of providing an extension is writing a specification document, which has a standard form with name, version, authorship, functions/tokens, issues, and revisions to the language in the base specification and other extensions.

You can see some of the extension specifications at the OpenGL Extension Registry, although it may be incomprehensible reading if you're not experienced in 3D graphics.

For the most part, the specification documents are to the point... but occasionally a snarky statement does sneak in. Take WGL_NV_render_texture_rectangle, for instance:

Additions to the WGL Specification

First, close your eyes and pretend that a WGL specification actually
existed. Maybe if we all concentrate hard enough, one will magically
appear.

(This must have been a pet peeve of the fellow from NVIDIA, because this text appears in WGL_NV_render_depth_rectangle, too.)

Comments

This blog was originally open for comments when this entry was first posted, but was later closed and then removed due to spam and after a migration away from the original blog software. Unfortunately, it would have been a lot of work to reformat the comments to republish them. The author thanks everyone who posted comments and added to the discussion.