#define S_DOCUMENTATION
#define S_DOCUMENTATION_RELNOTES
#define PAGE Release Notes
#define SUBPAGE Release Notes for Equalizer 0.5

#include "header.shtml"

<p>
  Welcome to Equalizer 0.5, a framework for the development and deployment of
  parallel, scalable OpenGL applications. Equalizer 0.5 adds a new 'pixel' task
  decomposition mode for fill-rate bound applications such as raytracing and
  volume rendering, and speeds up database (sort-last) decompositions
  significantly.
</p>
<p>
  Equalizer 0.5 is a beta release, and therefore targeted towards application
  developers and early adopters.
</p>

<h3>Features</h3>
<p>
  Equalizer provides the following major features to facilitate the development
  and deployment of scalable OpenGL applications. A
  <a href="features.html">detailed feature list</a> can be found on the
  Equalizer website.
</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,
    which is required for immersive Virtual Reality 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>Pixel compounds to accelerate fill-bound applications</li>
  <li>GLEW integration for simplified OpenGL extension handling in a
    multi-context environment</li>
  <li>Improved eVolve volume rendering example</li>
  <li>Pluggable window initialization</li>
  <li>Off-screen rendering support using PBuffers</li>
  <li>Interoperability between Mac OS X and Windows XP (same endianess, Linux is
    untested)</li>
</ul>

<h4>Performance Improvements</h4>
<ul>
  <li>Much increased DB (sort-last) assembly performance using a mixture of
    GLSL-based and CPU-based compositing</li>
  <li>Improved network pixel transfer using parallel image compression through
    OpenMP</li>
  <li>Pluggable window initialization</li>
</ul>

<h4>Bug Fixes</h4>
<p>
  Equalizer 0.5 includes various bugfixes over the previous release, including
  the following:
</p>
<ul>
  <li><a href="http://sourceforge.net/tracker/index.php?func=detail&aid=1831090&group_id=170962&atid=856209">1831090</a>: Session::mapObject() might deadlock</li>
  <li><a href="http://sourceforge.net/tracker/index.php?func=detail&aid=1839291&group_id=170962&atid=856209">1839291</a>: Initial window size is too small on Win32</li>
  <li><a href="http://sourceforge.net/tracker/index.php?func=detail&aid=1842242&group_id=170962&atid=856209">1842242</a>: Bug with exiting examples on linux</li>
</ul>

<h4>Documentation</h4>
<p>
  The <a href="http://www.lulu.com/browse/book_view.php?fCID=2184039">Programming Guide</a> has
  been extended to 43 pages. The following documentation has been added:
</p>
<ul>
  <li><a href="/documents/design/PBuffer.html">PBuffer Support</a></li>
  <li><a href="/documents/design/glExtensions.html">OpenGL Extension
      Handling</a></li>
  <li><a href="/documents/design/pixelCompound.html">Pixel Compounds</a></li>
  <li><a href="/documents/design/eventHandling.html">Event Handling</a></li>
</ul>

<h3>Removed Features</h3>
<p>
  None
</p>

<h3>Supported Platforms</h3>
<p>
  Equalizer is a cross-platform toolkit, designed to run on any modern operating
  system, including all Unix variants and the Windows operating system.  A 
  <a href="compatibility.html">compatibility matrix</a> can be found on the
  Equalizer website. Version 0.5 has been tested on:
</p>
<h4>Operating System Support</h4>
<ul>
  <li><b>Linux:</b> Ubuntu 6.10 (x64, i386), RHEL4 (x64, i386)</li>
  <li><b>Windows:</b> XP with Visual Studio 2005 (i386, x64) and
    Cygwin (i386)</li>
  <li><b>Mac OS X:</b> 10.5 (PowerPC, i386)</li>
</ul>
<h4>Window System Support</h4>
<ul>
  <li><b>X11:</b> Full support for all documented features.</li>
  <li><b>WGL:</b> Full support for all documented features.</li>
  <li><b>AGL:</b> Full support for all documented features.</li>
</ul>

<h3>Documentation</h3>
<p>
  The <a href="http://www.lulu.com/browse/book_view.php?fCID=2184039">Programming Guide</a> is
 part of the Equalizer and can be found 
  <a href="http://www.equalizergraphics.com/survey.html">online</a>. Equalizer
 does not yet have an Users Guide. The shipped
  <a href="http://www.equalizergraphics.com/cgi-bin/viewvc.cgi/tags/release-0.5/src/examples/eqPly/">eqPly
    example</a> 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, custom software development and porting services are
  available from <a href="http://www.eyescale.ch">EyeScale</a>. Please contact
  <a href="mailto:info@eyescale.ch?subject=Equalizer%20support">info@eyescale.ch</a>
  for further information.
</p>

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