[gl4java-usergroup] Re: gl4java vs. java3d

[Sven G. <sgo...@ja...>]

Tobias Hintze wrote:
> 
> hi,
> 
> could you please tell me the major differents between java3d and gl4java.
> 
> thanks
> in advance...

Well, 

Java3d is an open API specified and implemented original by SUN,
and so somekind a "Standard".
Java3d specifies a kind of scene-graph-api, 
like vrml2 and covers all 3D operations. the implementation may use
OpenGL or Direct3D.
Because many geometry data is more abstract, it has lesser performance,
as an strictly OpenGL application, which is more neat to the OpenGL
hardware.
Java3D needs a Java2 JVM, so todays browser (Java 1.1 JVM's) can not be
used for 
Java3D applets.

GL4Java has a little history and prerequisites and parallel Java OpenGL
mappings
- where the API just should be taken AS IS - "just" a kind of "standard"
of the users of GL4Java.
GL4Java "just" maps the OpenGL API to java,
meaning that all GL4Java-OpenGL calls are using the native platform
OpenGL functions.
The GL4Java applications/applets will arrange their data strictly as the
OpenGL API
needs it.
The performance loss is as little as a Java OpenGL binding can have !
GL4Java needs an Java 1.1 JVM, so todays browsers are supported,
to run applets using GL4Java (IE, Netscape).

More commentary is welcome.

Yours, Sven
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