I've read the techie version...but I'm not sure I understand. What is it's importance and what does it do?

Simple answer, it's a graphics protocol which allows computers and graphics cards to shove high quality images to a screen really quickly without the need for the main processor to do a lot of number crunching. It allows 3D games to look very impressive with all kinds of things happening at once, and gives 3D imaging and modelling applications a WYSIAWYG (What You See Is Almost What You Get) front end.

Often make your puter crash because you have to install the latest drivers which often does not prevent crashing. This said: a very complicated language if it were that is used to command your graphics card. It works all platforms (or should) and has several advantages because it can speed up screen redraw. It has many tricks in its sleeves like only redrawing the pixels that have been changed, allows for antialiased lines etc etc... Problem is that is is very complicated to program as there are many variables. So it really does depend a lot on your card and its drivers. Even in "high-end" gamer's cards it is usually not fully implemented. Not because the cards can't handle it, but because the "pro" level cards (fireGL, quadro, wildcat,...) also have to find buyers. Recent gamer-level cards (radeons, nvidia's geforces etc) with recent drivers usually allow it to a certain level, and in case the written language corresponds well with your specific puter system (this goes deeper that buying a vid card and getting a recent driver) you get a very noticable screen redraw. If not, and this happens very often, stability is at stake and you get freezers and applications disappearing in thin air. Or disappearing objects, vibration on your screen etc etc.

Open Graphics Library - definition from foldoc Open Graphics Library (OpenGL) A multi-platform software interface to graphics hardware, supporting rendering andimaging operations. The OpenGL interface was developed by Silicon Graphics, who license it to other vendors. The OpenGL graphics interface consists of several hundred functions operating on 2D and 3D objects, supporting basic techniques, such as modelling and smooth shading, and advanced techniques, such as texture mapping and motion blur . Many operations require a frame buffer. OpenGL is network-transparent, and a common extension to the X Window System allows an OpenGL client to communicate across a network with a different vendor's OpenGL server. OpenGL is based on Silicon Graphics' proprietary IRIS GL. OpenGL WWW Center (http://www.sgi.com/Technology/openGL/). Mesa GL (http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/~brianp/Mesa.html) (PD implementation).

Not a techie, do not play one on tv. As far as I understand, Open GL allows you to see in your display window, something much closer to what your render will be. I've only seen this in Daz studio as I'm not much of a 3D afficionado-- only dropped a foot in Bryce and spent most of my time in Poser. In Daz you can see the hair completely and the dress/outfit/whatever and the props. If the hair does fit you know it before you render. Very very nice. Same with dress etc. In Daz Studio open GL-- don't know how typical this is-- lighting was not approximated so that was dissappointing. I'd come up with dark gloomy renders that I thought were nice and bright. It may have changed, I couldn't make the change to D/S so it may. But this is what I know about Open GL as far as actual practical use-- and I had Common cards with decent recent drivers-- main probs seem to come there. Mobility Radeon on my portable and NVidia Geforce on my desktop. Emily

I bet you wish you'd never asked, beachnut. :D

Here is the official site: www.opengl.org From the same site. Here is an overview of OpenGL: http://opengl.org/about/overview.html

What does it do? It makes you look for the -- turn OpenGL off -- button as soon as you start working on scenes with multiple figures in it :-)

Hehe Sam! Honestly, thanks for all your replies because now I have a better understanding of it's function.

After reading this, any suggestions on what new video card I'm probably going to have to buy to use Poser6? I have a Compaq with in Intel Pentium III running Windows XP (home version).

Even an old Nvidia geforce 2 mx will be good enough for most 3D applications OpenGL preview... That's what I had maybe 4 years ago and it worked fine with 3D Studio Max... It's not like you're gonna be needing 60 fps while previewing an animation so you won't need to get an OpenGL video card capable of running Doom3 or Halflife2 (DirectX but you know what I mean!) etc. Heck, I'd love a Quadro but I don't need it!! My Nvidia 5600XT works great for what I need it to do. Can only run Doom3 @ 640x480 but that's ok!! Guess I'll get an Xbox!!

I have a NVidia Geforce2 MX400 & it runs Doom3 & Halflife2, D/S works just fine so any card above that should be ok, you just need the latest drivers to make sure.

Thanks! I guess my PC will be visiting CompUSA again. I think they have had it more than I have of late.

ummm pigfish why would you take your pc to CompUSA? can you not fit a new video card yourself?

If I buy the video card from CompUSA, they will install it for free and I don't have to risk messing something up. Besides, they have the appropriate tools and mine are "somewhere" in the mess I call a garage.