Deprecation

It’s my first post in here, I’m afraid I’m not in the right place, but this is my first option.
As I believe most people do when trying to learn OpenGL, I got the red book, the newest version, and I read half of it. But then, I got tired of reading, every chapter’s beginning, that same sentence
“Note: In OpenGL Version 3.1, all of the techniques and functions described
in this chapter were removed through deprecation.”

I got curious, and found out that most of the book was just like this.
Now I don’t know what to do, because I heard the 8th version is coming out only in march.
Any suggestions? Where to find nice things to read? I found that SuperBible and it seems better, because the whole book was redesigned because of the constant changing and deprecation.

Thank you guys.

Did you look very hard?

The current SuperBible is a good place to start as it focuses on version 3.3 Core. I suggest you read it through carefully - from the beginning.

Still, although the 7th edition of the Red Book isn’t exactly the new stuff, it’s not a totally invalid.

Well, first of all, Im very thankful. I had a previously look to those links youve sent me, Alfonse, but I wasnt looking for learning GLSL right now. Do you guys think it is essential? I mean, at a first moment, I was looking for OpenGL, in C language, if possible (The SuperBible is great, but its C++. Maybe I`ll read it anyway…)

I had a previously look to those links youve sent me, Alfonse, but I wasnt looking for learning GLSL right now.
Do you guys think it is essential?

Yes. GLSL is required if you’re not using removed functionality in 3.1 or above.

I mean, at a first moment, I was looking for OpenGL, in C language, if possible

Personally, I don’t see why it matters. OpenGL is OpenGL, whether it’s in Python, C, Lua, or C++. As long as you have some basic familiarity with the language in question, you should be able to follow the important part: what the OpenGL calls actually do.

Now I feel better. Because when I started studying it, I just borrowed the Red Book from the library of my university, and just a few days ago I found out that most of it was deprecated.
I think now with these material I’ll be able to learn the 4.0 version.
By the way, do you guys think the 8th version of the red book will be reformulated, like the SuperBible?

The subtitle of the upcoming revision is “The Official Guide to Learning OpenGL Versions 4.1”. Take a guess. :slight_smile:

I used the OpenGL super bible 5th edition as a walkthrough to OpenGL and it’s quite good. There is no reason to stay away from GLSL, in fact I’d recomend you embrace it from the start and consider it the “right way”, not an extra. Because really, it’s simply not an extra.

One of the reasons some of those functions and methods are deprecated is indeed because you are now supossed to take most of the control and you do this via GLSL.

Also, the interesting part is that GLSL exposes more of the linear algebra details that you simply should understand, even if it’s simple stuff. The old GL hid many of these aspects, making it look like magic.

I really recomend you start from core if you have no previous knowledge of GL. I see no reason to not do so.

Finaly, about the OpenGL superbible 5th ed., although it was a good book for me, it relies a lot on the included helper library for the learning process and it’s not until deep into chapter 11 I think that they finaly toss it aside. It’s only then when vertex array objects are explained. Also, although it’s got a math chapter like most 3D primer books, it really won’t be enough if you are also new to 3D.

Good luck.

Well, once more, thank you.
I had a little bit of trouble trying to set up those SuperBible helper libraries on Ubuntu. How did you get it working?

I think I’ll stick to it, and read this one too: http://openglbook.com/the-book