OpenGL without a graphics card [closed]

Question

Is is possible to do Open GL development and run programs on a computer with out a graphics card? (e.g. my netbook running Ubuntu)

Mamey

Answer 1

Update This was many years ago, the link is not available anymore, and there are probably newer, better, builds now.

Yes, you can use MESA.

For your convenience, I've compiled it in both 32- and 64bit at:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9496269/mesa.zip

Simply put them where your executable file is located.

Invercargill

linux system. say that again with out a .exe xD – Mamey

@Mamey Ask your question again with the word linux in it ;) – Vasilikivasilis

I was aiming for generic but here, how about this. – Mamey

@Viktor Sehr The link is dead. Please upload the file again if you still have it. Thanks. – Knickerbocker

Updated the answer, I recommend a newer build as this answer is six years old :) – Invercargill

I don't know for Ubuntu, but for RedHat (and derivatives) mesa packages are available in the standard distro as of today. – Mariettemarigold

github.com/pal1000/mesa-dist-win, fdossena.com/?p=mesa/index.frag – Arteriosclerosis

@ViktorSehr and for Windows® ? – Whalen

Answer 2

Sure. Many software only implementations of OpenGL exist. Check out the Mesa project at http://www.mesa3d.org/ for one of the most popular. There are parts of the shading language not fully supported, and it tends to lag the standard a bit in general, but that is the case of all software API emulators. Its still very full featured and can be used in production code for many common uses.

Interpretive

and for Windows® ? – Whalen

@Whalen What do you mean by windows ? For example, desktop / laptop always has some sort of Nvidia/Intel GPU – Cryohydrate

@Cryohydrate no, and things like the R2308WFTZSR or Intel Quark is a recent example. – Whalen

Answer 3

You can use OpenGL on many integrated GPUs, mostly AMD chips like the Ryzen 3 3200G, which has a GPU that is the same as a GTX 1050 for around £100.

Bosch

Some computers like mine don’t have any graphics outputs by design which means not even an integrated ɢᴘᴜ. – Whalen

hello user22284570 what kind of mother board do you have as most modern one support integrated graphics like am4 and some intel cpu with the lga socket have a varitey to choose from – Bosch

Simple, I’m having a R2308WFTZSR computer (well it has graphic output but no drawing graphic computation capabilities much like the first ibm pc). – Whalen