You can stand by Windows XP however you want – the hardware acceleration of the GDI still works flawlessly and is completely sufficient for many application areas. What XP unfortunately can’t do is the hardware-based implementation of the 2.5D layer technique using the possibilities of current 3D maps. The drawing of window contents is still done directly from the programs, as described in the previous chapter. Typical 2D application, for which one does not actually buy expensive graphics hardware:
This process does not interfere as long as the user works concentrated in one window. SDI (Single Device Interface) environments are the typical use case here. However, it becomes unpleasant when many windows come into play. Who wouldn’t be happy to be able to swap the menus, toolbars and tool windows of complex applications onto a second monitor as a substitute for a better layer technique, instead of always having to admire annoying dragging effects of the window contents that always had to be redrawn when the system couldn’t keep up with them?
While the pure 2D performance in vector drawing programs such as CorelDraw or CAD applications was completely sufficient, since the hardware acceleration of the GDI was sufficiently implemented, the limits of the WM_Paint solution already become apparent here. The surface of XP, overloaded with animations, Softshadows, transparent windows and other Gimmicks was simply at the end of the feasible arrived.
WM_Paint is not triggered or only sporadically as long as the system is busy.Many users quickly found out that it is better to display windows as frames when moving them, to do without animated menus and to use the graphical resources more sparingly in other respects.Many graphical themes were quickly deleted after the initial euphoria – the system was simply no longer capable of rendering everything without errors. Microsoft soon realized that the solution, as it was used up to and including XP, had to be replaced as soon as possible. The offer of ever more powerful 3D graphics cards and the slow but steady drop in prices for such hardware then did the rest. Atypical representative of 3D graphics cards of this time: Radeon X1800 from 2005
We also don’t want to hide the fact that XP’s hardware acceleration didn’t work with ATI’s 780G onboard graphics solutions for a long time. Slow windows and lame browsers were the inglorious consequence. At first, it was said behind closed doors that it was a major hardware error, but the biggest performance brakes were later removed by newer drivers. The 780G (in contrast to the 740G) still doesn’t run completely optimally. But since XP is losing importance in the meantime, we only want to mention this as a side note.
Therefore, first of all, the curtain rises for Vista, Microsoft’s most polarizing operating system besides Windows ME. You can love Vista or hate it – the technical progress was unstoppable.
Summary:
- The 2D hardware acceleration of the GDI commands works without complaint
- No hardware accelerated 2.5D layers, slow interface
- Constant redrawing of shifted window contents costs time
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