The non-profit OPC 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 OPC group include, but are not limited to, OS/2, UNIX, Windows NT and Windows 95. Windowing environments include, but are not limited to, Presentation Manager, Windows and X. The intention of the OPC group is to characterize graphics performance for computer systems running applications, not overall graphics performance.

Defining OpenGL Performance

The OPC 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 OpenGL Performance Characterization (OPC) group is Viewperf, which measures the 3D rendering performance of systems running under OpenGL. In August 1997, the OPC group released GLperf, which is designed to measure optimal performance of 2D and 3D graphics primitives across vendor platforms. Like Viewperf, GLperf is designed as a single-source code to run across all platforms and windowing systems supporting OpenGL. Both benchmarks are maintained by the OPC project subcommittee.

Structure and Membership

The OPC 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.

OPC project subcommittee membership includes the following benefits:

• participation in all subcommittee business and technical activities,
• direct input in developing all releases of OPC benchmark software,
• access to pre-release versions of OPC benchmark software,
• publication of performance reports in OPC publications, and
• active participation in the planning and development of future versions of OPC benchmarks.

Future Plans

Performance measurement for OpenGL under Viewperf and GLperf is just the beginning for the OPC group. Future plans call for the group to develop benchmarks that encompass a wide range of primitives and attributes, including 2D geometry, 3D geometry, and image data. Planned enhancements for Viewperf would address other graphics applications issues such as selecting objects, CPU load, and additional OpenGL features. The ultimate challenge, at least for now, is to develop tools to consistently measure performance for OpenGL applications.

For more information regarding OPC project membership, contact John Spitzer, the group's chair, at 415-933-4760, or e-mail the OPC alias at gpcopc-info@spec.org.