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SPECopc Project Group Overview
The OpenGL Performance Characterization (SPECopcSM)
organization began in 1993 as an ad-hoc project group aimed at
establishing graphics performance benchmarks for systems running
under the OpenGL application programming interface (API). The
group joined the GPC Group in the summer of 1994.
The non-profit SPECopc project is providing unambiguous methods
for comparing the performance of OpenGL implementations across
vendor platforms, operating systems, and windowing environments.
Operating systems covered by the SPECopc group include, but are
not limited to, OS/2, UNIX, Windows NT and other Windows. Windowing
environments include, but are not limited to, Presentation Manager,
Windows and X. The intention of the SPECopc group is to characterize
graphics performance for computer systems running applications,
not overall graphics performance.
Defining OpenGL Performance
The SPECopc group has established the following goals to define
OpenGL performance:
- To permit standardized OpenGL performance measurement and
evaluation by creating unambiguous, vendor-neutral measures
for product evaluation and comparison.
- To provide mechanisms that enable vendors, customers and
others to perform their own performance measurements and evaluations.
- To provide formal beta and final software releases to the
public in a timely fashion.
- To develop a list of all those directly and materially affected
by the benchmark specifications, and to offer the specifications
for public review by all such parties with the possibility that,
if there is consensus, the specifications might be offered for
consideration by ANSI and other standards bodies.
- To contribute to the coherence of the field of OpenGL performance
measurement and evaluation so that vendors will be better able
to present well-defined measures, and customers will be better
able to compare and evaluate vendors' products and environments.
Viewperf and GLperf Set the Pace
The first benchmark released by the SPECopc group was SPECviewperf®,
which measures the 3D rendering performance of systems running
under OpenGL. In August 1997, the SPECopc group released SPECglperf®,
which is designed to measure optimal performance of 2D and 3D
graphics primitives across vendor platforms. Like SPECviewperf,
SPECglperf is designed as a single-source code to run across all
platforms and windowing systems supporting OpenGL. In summer 2000,
SPECopc discontinued reporting SPECglperf results on this web
site. It is still being offered, without maintenance or support,
as a toolkit for performance evaluation.
Structure and Membership
The SPECopc project subcommittee is a non-profit group whose
general costs are paid via membership fees or dues. Any company,
individual, institution or other group can become a sustaining
member at any point in the development phase by remitting these
dues. The project subcommittee will put in place and maintain
an appeals process through which any interested or affected party
may register and have heard a complaint concerning committee action
or inaction. The principles of due process and antitrust compliance
are adhered to by the subcommittee at all times.
Find out more about the benefits
of SPECopc membership, how you can take advantage of the project
group's review and publication
process, or how to help
develop a SPECopc benchmark. For specific queries, e-mail
SPECopc.
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