#define S_DOCUMENTATION
#define S_DOCUMENTATION_RELNOTES
#define PAGE Release Notes
#define SUBPAGE Release Notes for Equalizer 0.2

#include "header.shtml"

<p>
  Welcome to Equalizer 0.2, a framework for the development and
  deployment of scalable multipipe applications, based on C++ and
  OpenGL. The major new feature in Equalizer 0.2 is support for scalable
  rendering.
</p><p>
  Equalizer 0.2 is a beta release, and therefore intended as preview and
  evaluation snapshot for application developers and early adopters.
</p>

<h3>Features</h3>
<p>
  Equalizer provides the following major features to facilitate the development
  and deployment of multipipe applications:
</p>
<ul>
  <li><b>Runtime Configurability:</b> An Equalizer application can run on any
    configuration, from laptops to large scale visualization clusters, without
    recompilation. The runtime configuration is externalized from the
    application to a systemwide resource server.</li>
  <li><b>Runtime Scalability:</b> An Equalizer application can use multiple
    CPU's, GPU's and computers to scale the rendering performance of a single
    view.</li>
  <li><b>Distributed Execution:</b> Equalizer applications can be written to
    support cluster-based execution. The task of distributing the application
    data is facilitated by support for versioned, distributed objects.</li>
  <li><b>Support for Stereo and Immersive Environments:</b> Equalizer supports
    both active and passive stereo rendering, as well as the head tracking
    needed for immersive installations.</li>
</ul>

<h3>New in this release</h3>
<p>
  The following features, bug fixes and documentation changes where introduced
  in this release:
</p>
<h4>New Features</h4>
<ul>
  <li>Sort-first (2D), sort-last (DB) and eye task decomposition.</li>
  <li>Tile-based reassembly for sort-first and eye recomposition.</li>
  <li>Flexible recomposition engine for parallel compositing,
    including, but not limited to, direct send and binary swap sort-last
    compositing.</li>
  <li>Fast image compression for network transfers based on a modified RLE
    algorithm.</li>
  <li>Z-based sort-last compositing of polygonal data.</li>
  <li>Support for ordered alpha-based compositing of volumetric data.</li>
  <li>Support for dynamic near and far planes.</li>
  <li>Initial implementation of a statistics API.</li>
</ul>
<h4>Bug Fixes</h4>
<p>
  Equalizer 0.2 includes various minor bugfixes over the previous release.
</p>
<h4>New Documentation</h4>
<p>
<ul>
  <li><a href="documents/design/statistics.html">Statistics 
      specification</a></li>
</ul>
</p>
<h3>Supported Platforms</h3>
<p>
  The platforms supported below are the primary development platforms. Equalizer
  is designed to run on a variety of platforms, including all Unix variants and
  the Windows operating system. Equalizer 0.2 supports:
</p>
<h4>Operating System Support</h4>
<ul>
  <li><b>Linux:</b> SuSE Linux 10 (x86_64, i386), SLES 9.0 (ia64), Ubuntu 6.06
    (i386)</li>
  <li><b>Mac OS X:</b> 10.4 (PowerPC, i386)</li>
</ul>
<h4>Window System Support</h4>
<ul>
  <li><b>X11:</b> Full support for all implemented features.</li>
  <li><b>CGL:</b> Preliminary fullscreen support, no event handling support</li>
</ul>
<h3>Documentation</h3>
<p>
  Equalizer does not yet have a formal Users or Programmers Guide. The shipped
  <code>eqPly</code> example provides a reference for developing or porting
  applications. The <a href="doc_developer.html">Developer Documentation</a>
  on the website provides further design documents for specific features. The
  source code is a last resort for information.
</p>
<h3>Support</h3>
<p>
  Technical questions can be posted to the 
  <a href="http://www.equalizergraphics.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/eq-dev">
    Developer Mailing List</a>, or directly to
  <a href="mailto:info@equalizergraphics.com?subject=Equalizer%20question">
    info@equalizergraphics.com</a>.
</p><p>
  Commercial support, feature requests, as well as software development and
  porting services are available. Please contact
  <a href="mailto:info@equalizergraphics.com?subject=Equalizer%20support">
    info@equalizergraphics.com</a> for
  further information.
</p>

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