Which API should I use? GLU, MFC, OWL or Qt?

I am new in OpenGL programming but not in programming in general.

My purpose: do a lot of funny stuff with OpenGL.

I read that it is good to begin with GLU to learn OpenGL. After that, if you whant to do a more complex application, you need a more complex API like MFC, Motif u.s.o

I would like to know the opinion of someone who already work with GLU and than change to a complex API.

What does GLU do?
Which API did you choose to work on Windows? on multi-platform?

Thanks

GLUT is a good place to start, unless you are comfortable with programming in win32 or X. It has the advantage of cross-platform compatibility. The API is part of OpenGL, GLUT just gives you a simple window to run your program in.

Check here: http://www.opengl.org/developers/documentation/glut.html

And if you’re interested in a more elaborate user interface, check here: http://www.cs.unc.edu/~rademach/glui/

HTH G.

I started with GLUT (I think that is what you ment not GLU, witch is still uesed in MCF, GLUT, Qt… ect). My bigest conersin is cross platform compatibulty, so the API that I seteled on is SDL www.libsdl.org it is kinda big but it was a lot of extra stuff 2D drawing, sound, input, ect. If you are not intersted in that that I would sugest Qt or GTK+ if you know that you are only going to be working in Windows then MCF is fine.

I think Glut is very nice for starting OpenGL, but if you want to run your *.exe on another PC you always need the glut32.dll to run the *.exe (that’s the only disadvantege, I think), so Glut is nice for starting but later you should use the Win32 to do the whole stuff around OpenGL (you never need the dll )

Agree, GLUT is way cool. Thanks Mark!