OpenGL Programming Guide: The Official Guide to Learning

This is a wonderful OpenGL book. I especially like the fact that it is specifically written to be platform independant. Other books fail because they try to concentrate on one type of platform, like Win95/98/NT. It does use GLUT but it uses it as a tool to allow the reader to learn the concepts and get right to work with the fun stuff rather than tinkering with the specifics of your OS. This book is especially welcome to Linux programmers because of the fact that it doesn't concentrate on the Windows API and instead uses GLUT to work across all platforms.

as a winNT programmer, i broke my teeth trying to understand OpenGL with the use of the MSDN library. although the MSDN library does offer a few tech articles about how to begin using the NT port of OpenGL, it does a poor job at explaining the basics of OpenGL. moreover, in the best of microsoft tradition, the WGL functions (win32 to openGL interface) are cumbersome and very unintuitive and make the learning process almost impossible. this book on the other hand, throws you into the water by releaving you of all the annoying initialization details and technical details that you would only want to know once you have a feel for the OpenGL API. this is done with the use of the GLUT library. while it is true that GLUT is not the most efficient way to write openGL code, it is better to start learning openGL using GLUT then to have to understand each and every detail of openGL architechture before you can draw one vertex. this is an easy escape. I am most pleased with this book and cant wait to finish it... go fetch...

As consumer grade 3D accelerators began to support the OpenGL ICD many Win32 programmers are using the OpenGL 3D API to develop real-time 3D applications. This new breed of OpenGL developers are looking for a good place to start. The Offical Guide to Learning OpenGL (also refered to as "the redbook") is that starting place.Mason Woo and the OpenGL Review Board, along with other contributors walk the reader though well thought out example programs and explain in detail each OpenGL function call. The chapters are well organized, and authors take a complete platform independate approach to OpenGL. An excellent choice for a college text book on the subject of real-time 3D graphic programming.The only other book to be considered is the OpenGL SuperBible, but it's poorly organized in comparison and focuses only on the Win32 platform. This book should only be considered if the reader is new to programming and needs to be walked though setting up the development enviroment (such reads should consider going back and learning more about their IDE before venturing into OpenGL programming anyway)For overall content, reference and presentation the OpenGL Programming Guide is the best book I've read covering any API.

For my graphics course, the students were expected to learn OpenGL and implement a feature-rich 2D draw program in week #1, and an even more feature-rich 2D+3D program in week #2. This book provided the tutorials needed to learn the material, plus lots of good advice, and of course, lots of good sample code!

I have taught Opengl for four years. I've found the best results by teaching from the OpenGL programming guide. Students are lectured from the material in the book, numerous examples are provided illustrating the concepts and principles of 3D programming and opengl function calls. I use VRML 2.0 to demonstrating the code examples, and student can read the opengl code for the example. During the Semester students use the OpenGL programming Guide to create a 3D game. The game uses movable cameras, hierarchial motion, collision detection, display lists, texture maps, materials, lighting, and nurb surfaces. The material is absorbed within a 5 to 10 week period. I've tried other books like the OpenGL superbible, but found the Opengl Programming Guide to be much more comprehensive, and therefore more productive in the results. The OpenGL Programming Guide is a book to keep. Some of the new features in the current release is : introduction to interleave arrays, new glut libraries, and increased documentation on picking, selection and feedback. Get on the Game Programming bandwagon by buying this book. Email me with any additional questions.