5 replies to this topic

[brownhead]

Why did OpenGL set its origin to the bottom left of the screen when the rest of the world (note I haven't been around the world) has it at the top left? I ask because I've gotten very angry at OpenGL for messing me up with that recently...

[ZekeDragon]

Well, there wasn't really a standards committee on that sort of thing, and OpenGL has been around a long time, probably before the top-left origin became the de facto standard. And you know how backwards compatibility can be a b****....

Other than that, I really don't know. Might have also had something to do with technology limitations of the day, but to heck if I know what those could have been. O_o

[brownhead]

Meh, well whatever the reason it really stinks. I need to make my brain visualize everything differently. It's like I'm just starting to learn how to use a RECT structure all over again...

[WingedPanther]

Bottom left is the standard in math class. What's your problem? Why'd CS people have to go screw up a perfectly good standard?

[brownhead]

But in math class you get to draw everything on a piece of paper, no need to visualize it in your mind. When your programming you can't draw everything to help you visualize it (though sometimes it does come to that.. but it's always tedious).

And if all languages had origins at the bottom left I'd be cool with that, the lack of conformity is what's angering me.. And OpenGL seems to be the odd ball out.

[WingedPanther]

OpenGL was originally created for rendering CAD images. Those users would be thinking in terms of XYZ coordinates like in math classes. I think that's the cause of the difference.