Aug 99 Newsbits
Volume Number: 15
Issue Number: 8
Column Tag: Newsbits
by Jessica Stubblefield, press_releases@mactech.com
New Drivers Enable Macintosh Developers To Deliver
Applications for Voodoo3-Based Graphics Boards
3dfx Interactive® Inc. today announced that it has broadened its commitment to the
Apple® Macintosh® market with the release of new Voodoo3 developer drivers. The
new drivers will enable leading game developers to create Macintosh versions of their
best-selling Windows® PC games and harness the power of Voodoo3-based graphics
cards for the Mac.
3dfx also announced that Mactell Corporation (OTC BB: MTLL) and other leading Mac
market board makers have licensed the award-winning Voodoo3 graphics accelerator
chips for use in new Macintosh graphics boards. The boards are expected to be
available later this year, and will deliver the fastest 3D graphics ever available for
the Macintosh platform.
3dfx Voodoo3 boards are the hottest-selling video cards in retail stores throughout
North America, according to market research firm PC Data. Currently available for
Windows PCs, Voodoo3 products are also available in popular PC systems from
Compaq, Dell, Gateway, Quantex, NEC Direct, Packard Bell, and others.
More than 500 software titles are available for 3dfx graphics accelerator products,
with more than 200 titles written for the Glide API. The Glide API was developed by
3dfx Interactive to provide a simple and fast method for developers to write 3D game
titles and software specifically to run on 3dfx accelerators.
About 3dfx Interactive
3dfx Interactive is leading the 3D multimedia revolution in personal computers and
consumer products. With its patented and award-wining graphics accelerator chips,
boards and software, 3dfx provides the technology to create high-impact visual
experiences. The company is recognized worldwide for its ability to bring the world's
finest games, educational content, interactive entertainment, and media-rich business
applications to life. 3dfx products are available through leading PC makers including
Dell and Gateway, and in retail stores worldwide. 3dfx Interactive has headquarters in
San Jose, Calif., and engineering and manufacturing facilities in Richardson, Texas,
and Juarez, Mexico. 3dfx Interactive (NASDAQ: TDFX) is available on the Web.
http://www.3dfx.com
AppMaker CD #12
Bowers Development announced that it is now shipping AppMaker CD #12. It is in the
mail to all current subscribers, domestic and international.
• The generated code for modeless dialogs is more complete and automatic.
Without any handwritten code, a dialog can display data from whichever
window is frontmost or disable itself if no document window is active.
• Users can define global application data and preferences data which will
be instantiated automatically at startup. AppMaker will automatically create,
open, read and write a Preferences file.
• Generated applications call NavServices, if it is available, instead of
Standard File. The generated code is "Carbon"-ready.
• This release adds support for the few Appearance controls not previously
supported: the WindowHeader, WindowListViewHeader, Placard, and UserPane.
• Tools Plus is once again well supported. The Tools Plus Pro libraries +
framework is a popular programming tool that simplifies programming and
accelerates development. It supports all standard user interface elements and
popular extras like floating pallettes, picture buttons, and a 3D look with or
without the Appearance Manager. Applications created with Tools Plus Pro run
on almost any Macintosh and Mac OS as far back as System 6.
• AppMaker #12 was tested with Metrowerks CW Pro 4 and with
pre-release versions of Pro 5. The Bowers web page has a minor update for
AppMaker to support the final release of Pro 5.
About AppMaker
AppMaker is a programming tool that makes it faster and easier to make a Macintosh
application - not just the user interface, but also the functional code. With AppMaker
you create the menus, windows, dialogs and their contents by clicking and dragging to
arrange what you want on-screen. You also point and click to declare data structures
and to connect UI items to data items. AppMaker creates resources to describe your
design, and generates "human, professional quality code" in your choice of either
procedural or object-oriented programming languages.
http://www.devdepot.com/