Short Version
The highest version of OpenGL supported by the card.
Does It Matter?
Not really. The level of DirectX compliance tells you more than this number does. Since most games are written using DirectX, OpenGL has become much less important. The number is useful for anyone doing research with OpenGL or possibly for other professional interests, but overall gamers will likely not need to concern themselves with this number.
Long Version
Like DirectX, OpenGL is an API for programming 3D accellerated applications. OpenGL is an open standard originally based on SGI's IRIS GL. DirectX has become easier to program and is updated more frequently than OpenGL, so a lot of programmers have migrated to DirectX. However, OpenGL's relative stagnation has made it a far more reliable platform than OpenGL, so professional applications tend to favor it. OpenGL is also cross-platform whereas DirectX is limited to Windows.
For more information check out the wikipedia article.
OpenGL Compliance
Posted By: Michael Thomas - 09:38:19 Mon, August 14, 2006
2 Comments
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guest
There seems to be a slight typo made in this setence fragment. I believe the OpenGL found at the end of the quoted sentence was meant to read Direct X.
n00b
I'm pretty sure that's not true at all.