(1)Why is everyone arguing wether Microsoft is good or not on a OpenGL forum?
(2)If you hate MS, then have a look at Direct Draw. I am not a M$ fan, but i still think Direct Draw gives you to-the-metal 2d graphics. Take a look at DMusic. If you know how to use it, you will find it the best tool ever for interactive music, or music in general.
However, i must say, D3D is one of the worst things i have seen. Not performance wise, but learning-wise. It is so horribly messy. I find OpenGL “alot” cleaner and neater. Yet, i can see the D3D “will” progress alot and so i “have” to learn(if not use) it. This is where i start hating M$. Microsoft is a good company, but only that it shouldn’t have monopolized the market* like that.
I think we all have had enough of “M$ VS the rest” debates, so lets do what this forum was originaly meant for:To talk about using Open GL. I think that would be alot more productive.
*just my opinion, yours may vary