What all do I need to start programing with OpenGL. What compiler is the best. I want to cross platform, so I don’t want to be stuck with WIN32 files.
I have already bought several books from the OpenGL Index page. They come in with in 2 weeks!
Please help me get started!
You dont need anything extra for standard OpenGL development beside the normal programming enviroment. You probably want as good graphic card as possible with the latest drivers.
For Windows is Microsoft Visual C++, MSVC, pretty much standard but there are other very good alternatives.
If you want to cross platform should you use a wrapper library for things like opening a window. I think SDL and GLUT is the most popular such libraries. SDL is perhaps more complete but many books and examples on the internet is using GLUT.
Good luck! 
Thanks!