OLinux.com.br: General Graphics Interface Project (GGI) is coming to improve Linux Graphics

[ Thanks to Fernando
Correa for this link. ]

“Olinux: Please, introduce yourself and our
workgroup.

Steffen Seeger: I am working with the General
Graphics Interface Project (GGI). The GGI Project is developing a
suite of libraries, that should allow applications to output
graphics using a common Application Programming Interface no matter
what the actual underlying mechanism (target) is. For instance, you
can run GGI applications directing output to an X window, but also
run the same application fullscreen using output to SVGAlib, frame
buffer devices etc. I am mainly working on design and
implementation of the Kernel Graphics Interface (KGI), a part of
GGI. KGI should provide the neccessary Operating System services to
allow several applications to share the graphics hardware
safely.”

“Olinux: What is GGI?

Steffen Seeger: A general graphics interface.
Strictly speaking it is a set of libraries that allow you to write
programs that can do graphics output on any so-called target. A
target is a generalized output device that is capable of doing
graphics output. This way you may for instance run the same program
in an X11 window, fullscreen using SVGAlib or fullscreen using
fbdev. Also, there are so-called wrappers which translate other
application programming interfaces into GGI, so that you may – for
instance – run SVGAlib programs on any target GGI supports.”

“Olinux: What are the most important
innovations and future in all GGI projects?

Steffen Seeger: As far as I know the ability to
run the same application in any environment, from a simple terminal
window to a full screen video wall is unique to GGI. As far as the
kernel part is concerned, I think we could claim to have done some
important steps towards a flexible console system the first
time.”

Complete
Story