From 22d81ed146b29b812387ae2788511751927fa44c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: James Turk Date: Tue, 15 Nov 2005 04:01:43 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] .txt->.html --- IFAQ.html | 197 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ IFAQ.txt | 136 ------------------------------------- 2 files changed, 197 insertions(+), 136 deletions(-) create mode 100644 IFAQ.html delete mode 100644 IFAQ.txt diff --git a/IFAQ.html b/IFAQ.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5791a3b --- /dev/null +++ b/IFAQ.html @@ -0,0 +1,197 @@ + + +iFAQ (inFrequently Asked Questions) + + + + + + +
+ +

General Questions

+

What is Photon?

+

Photon is an API which is designed primarily to ease creation of hardware +accelerated 2D games with OpenGL and other open source & cross platform +libraries. Photon aims to simplify portable game development, enabling +developers to focus on the gameplay. Photon uses OpenGL for hardware +accelerated rotation, alpha blending, resizing, and drawing. Photon is built +entirely on free software, using libraries like GLFW, PhysFS, OpenAL, and +boost. Using Photon does not require knowledge of any of these libraries as +their needed functionality is wrapped entirely within Photon's rich class +library so that anyone with a decent grasp of C++ can use Photon. +

+Photon is a cross platform API, designed to run on as many operating systems +as possible, and OS support is only limited by libraries which Photon +depends on, at the moment Photon should run on Windows, Linux, OSX, and +other Operating Systems which have OpenGL support.

+ +

Where do I get Photon?

+ +

http://photon.sourceforge.net +is the home page. +http://sourceforge.net/projects/photon/ + is the project page.

+ +

How do I build Photon?

+

At the moment building photon relies upon SCons. As of Photon 0.0.2 experimental +project files are available for Code::Blocks +and Dev-C++. +Visual C++ project files are a high priority.

+ +

Does Photon use proprietary libraries like DirectX?

+

Photon only uses free open source libraries, so that by using Photon you are +not subjected to any proprietary licensing terms.

+ +

When will features X, Y, and Z be completed?

+

When I get to them, I can only work on Photon in my spare time, if you have a +specific request let me know and I can give you an estimate of when I plan +on getting to it. There's always the option that you help out and then the +feature will be added sooner rather than later.

+ +

What if I have something to add?

+

Feel free to contribute to Photon, bugfixes are greatly appreciated. Not +all submitted features can be accepted, but I'll usually at least add a +link to your submission if it cannot be included in the standard +distribution for some reason. (Extensions to Photon which uses non-free +or non-portable libraries fall into this category, I appreciate them +but usually won't make them part of the standard distribution.)

+ +

Usage Questions

+

How do I compile a Photon application?

+

That depends upon your compiler, generally there are several things that +need to be done:

+ +

+On a command line compiler like g++ this would look something like:

+
+g++ -DPHOTON_USE_OPENAL -c -o test.o test.cpp
+g++ -o test test.o -lphoton -lglfw -lopenal -lGL -lGLU -lphysfs -lcorona -lfreetype
+
+ +

Are there any tutorials?

+

No. Well not yet, I do have intent to write basic tutorials on using +Photon, as well as porting some existing tutorials on various subjects to +Photon.

+ +

I am using Photon, can I tell the world?

+

Sure, if you're using it and you feel comfortable admitting that, I admire +your honesty. In all seriousness, this is greatly appreciated, and greatly +beneficial to the Photon community, the more people using it the more people +to help find bugs, suggest features, and maybe some of them will think of +something cool to add for the rest of us.

+ +

Licensing Questions

+

How is Photon licensed?

+

Photon is licensed under a zlib-style license, see LICENSE.txt.

+ +

Why is Photon licensed like that, why not use LGPL or something?

+

First of all, I prefer zlib licensed libraries, as you can see, Photon +depends primarily on zlib licensed libraries. I also don't feel that I +should try to restrict what people do with Photon, as the people who will +try to steal work aren't going to care what license it was under in the +first place.

+ +

I don't get it. What can I do with Photon?

+

You are allowed to do almost anything you want with Photon including use it +in commercial applications.

+ +

So what can't I do with Photon?

+

You cannot claim you wrote it, distribute altered versions that are not +clearly marked as such, or remove or alter the license of the Photon +source. You also cannot sue me for damages if Photon hurts you, your +pet, or your feelings.

+ +

History Questions

+

Photon seems familiar.. where have I seen a similar API before?

+

Photon used to be ZEngine, but when I decided to do a major rewrite the name +changed. I am the author of both ZEngine and Photon, but thank you for your +concern.

+ +

Why shouldn't I use ZEngine?

+

Photon does practically everything ZEngine did, but is being actively +developed. Photon also uses a fairly different design than ZEngine, which I +hope most will enjoy.

+ +

Why should I use ZEngine?

+

In case you want to port to a platform with no OpenGL, or maybe you like +the letter 'Z' before every class name. If you hate the new style, and +would prefer to kick it old school, ZEngine is a fine choice.

+ +

Wasn't there some GUI lib for ZEngine?

+

Yes, Gewi was the GUI for ZEngine, and was separate from the core of +ZEngine. In Photon Gewi will become photon::gui, but is not yet completed. +Because of the modular core method and resource management, the inside has +been rewritten, and a number of bugs have been fixed. photon::gui will be +a major improvement over Gewi.

+ +

Other Questions

+

You are a king, can I give you money?

+

Sure.. I guess, I'd prefer you donate it to a better project than Photon +but if you have to donate money to me because you're using Photon in some +amazing application and you feel guilty making millions off of my "hard" +work.. email me, I'll try to talk you out of it, or suggest a better use +of funds.

+ +

How can I be as great as you?

+

Help me out on Photon.. write some documentation, anything, if you're not +sure how to help, email me, I'll let you know what needs to be done.

+ +

What else are you working on?

+

That's a secret right now.

+ +

Want to work on something with me?

+

Depending on how much time I have, and how interested I am in the project, +maybe. If you want me to work on something I'd love to hear from you, +even if I don't have time at the moment. If the project in question +uses Photon you get bonus points, but is not a requirement for me to work +with you.

+ +

$Id: IFAQ.html,v 1.1 2005/11/15 04:01:43 cozman Exp $

+ + + + + diff --git a/IFAQ.txt b/IFAQ.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 4806641..0000000 --- a/IFAQ.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,136 +0,0 @@ -IfAQ (Infrequently Asked Questions) -$Id: IFAQ.txt,v 1.2 2005/08/07 07:12:46 cozman Exp $ - ---basic questions-- - -Q. What is Photon? -A. Photon is an API which is designed primarily to ease creation of hardware - accelerated 2D games with OpenGL and other open source & cross platform - libraries. Photon aims to simplify portable game development, enabling - developers to focus on the gameplay. Photon uses OpenGL for hardware - accelerated rotation, alpha blending, resizing, and drawing. Photon is built - entirely on free software, using libraries like GLFW, PhysFS, OpenAL, and - boost. Using Photon does not require knowledge of any of these libraries as - their needed functionality is wrapped entirely within Photon’s rich class - library so that anyone with a decent grasp of C++ can use Photon. - Photon is a cross platform API, designed to run on as many operating systems - as possible, and OS support is only limited by libraries which Photon - depends on, at the moment Photon should run on Windows, Linux, OSX, and - other Operating Systems which have OpenGL support. - -Q. Where do I get Photon? -A. http://photon.sourceforge.net is the home page. - http://sourceforge.net/projects/photon/ is the project page. - -Q. How do I build Photon? -A. At the moment building photon relies upon SCons. See INSTALL.txt for more - information. Visual C++ project files are a priority as well. - ---usage questions-- - -Q. How do I compile a Photon application? -A. That depends upon your compiler, this isn't a sufficient answer is it? - To Be Completed - -Q. Are there any tutorials? -A. No. Well not yet, I do have intent to write basic tutorials on using - Photon, as well as porting some existing tutorials on various subjects to - Photon. - -Q. I am using Photon, can I tell the world? -A. Sure, if you're using it and you feel comfortable admitting that, I admire - your honesty. In all seriousness, this is greatly appreciated, and greatly - beneficial to the Photon community, the more people using it the more people - to help find bugs, suggest features, and maybe some of them will think of - something cool to add for the rest of us. - ---licensing questions-- - -Q. How is Photon licensed? -A. Photon is licensed under a zlib-style license, see LICENSE.txt. - -Q. Why is Photon licensed like that, why not use LGPL or something? -A. First of all, I prefer zlib licensed libraries, as you can see, Photon - depends primarily on zlib licensed libraries. I also don't feel that I - should try to restrict what people do with Photon, as the people who will - try to steal work aren't going to care what license it was under in the - first place. - -Q. I don't get it. What can I do with Photon? -A. You are allowed to do almost anything you want with Photon including use it - in commercial applications. - -Q. So what can't I do with Photon? -A. You cannot claim you wrote it, distribute altered versions that are not - clearly marked as such, or remove or alter the license of the Photon - source. You also cannot sue me for damages if Photon hurts you, your - pet, or your feelings. - -Q. Does Photon use proprietary libraries like DirectX? -A. Photon only uses free open source libraries, so that by using Photon you are - not subjected to any proprietary licensing terms. - -Q. When will features X, Y, and Z be completed? -A. When I get to them, I can only work on Photon in my spare time, if you have a - specific request let me know and I can give you an estimate of when I plan - on getting to it. There's always the option that you help out and then the - feature will be added sooner rather than later. - -Q. What if I have something to add? -A. Feel free to contribute to Photon, bugfixes are greatly appreciated. Not - all submitted features can be accepted, but I'll usually at least add a - link to your submission if it cannot be included in the standard - distribution for some reason. (Extensions to Photon which uses non-free - or non-portable libraries fall into this category, I appreciate them - but usually won't make them part of the standard distribution.) - ---history questions-- - -Q. Photon seems familiar.. where have I seen a similar API before? - or - You ripped off that ZEngine guy! -A. Photon used to be ZEngine, but when I decided to do a major rewrite the name - changed. I am the author of both ZEngine and Photon, but thank you for your - concern. - -Q. Why shouldn't I use ZEngine? -A. Photon does practically everything ZEngine did, but is being actively - developed. Photon also uses a fairly different design than ZEngine, which I - hope most will enjoy. - -Q. Why should I use ZEngine? -A. In case you want to port to a platform with no OpenGL, or maybe you like - the letter 'Z' before every class name. If you hate the new style, and - would prefer to kick it old school, ZEngine is a fine choice. - -Q. Wasn't there some GUI lib for ZEngine? -A. Yes, Gewi was the GUI for ZEngine, and was separate from the core of - ZEngine. In Photon Gewi will become photon::gui, but is not yet completed. - Because of the modular core method and resource management, the inside has - been rewritten, and a number of bugs have been fixed. photon::gui will be - a major improvement over Gewi. - ---other questions-- - -Q. You are a king, can I give you money? -A. Sure.. I guess, I'd prefer you donate it to a better project than Photon - but if you have to donate money to me because you're using Photon in some - amazing application and you feel guilty making millions off of my "hard" - work.. email me, I'll try to talk you out of it, or suggest a better use - of funds. - -Q. How can I be as great as you? -A. Help me out on Photon.. write some documentation, anything, if you're not - sure how to help, email me, I'll let you know what needs to be done. - -Q. What else do you work on, besides Photon? -A. That's a secret right now. - -Q. Want to work on something with me? -A. Depending on how much time I have, and how interested I am in the project, - maybe. If you want me to work on something I'd love to hear from you, - even if I don't have time at the moment. If the project in question - uses Photon you get bonus points, but is not a requirement for me to work - with you. - - -James Turk