The great migration of the drawing library

It was moved to where it could do the most good, but not always in a timely manner.

January 18, 2024

Jon Peddie

In the 1960s, computer graphics began with systems like DAC-1 and CADAM. Early graphics terminals, known as vector refresh displays, used drawing libraries for vector rendering. By the late 1960s, time-sharing systems enabled interactive graphics, but high display costs persisted. In the early 1970s, Tektronix’s affordable storage tube terminal, Plot 10, gained popularity, and the drawing library moved to it. The need for standardization arose, leading to the introduction of a succession of APIs, and the drawing library moved to the API. VLSI advancements integrated graphics controllers, OpenGL and DirectX evolved in the late 20th century, and the drawing library

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The great migration of the drawing library

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