With a lot of controversy surrounding the upcoming RC1 release of Windows Vista (see Should There Be Vista Beta 3?), Microsoft is already releasing software which requires Vista RC1 to run. Microsoft has released the August DirectX Software Development Kit (SDK) which includes a public pre-release of Direct 3D 10. Once again, Microsoft has released an SDK before releasing the platform needed to use parts of it.
According the Microsoft, "Samples and applications built with the Direct3D ® 10 Technology Preview in the August 2006 DirectX ® SDK require Windows ® Vista RC1 to run. The Windows Vista RC1 will be available to MSDN ® subscribers." While this is great news for developers, many are wondering when they will actually see Windows Vista RC1. Many Beta Testers are still expecting another "interim" release before RC1 is released to the public.
This latest SDK release from Microsoft includes some new technical articles which describe the new display driver model and the graphic API"s in Windows Vista, as well as articles on video game development for both Xbox 360 and Vista. An interesting paragraph in the release notes for this SDK states "Developers will notice that syntax has changed for several of the Direct3D 10 core APIs between the Windows Vista Beta 2 and Windows Vista RC1. Several APIs have been added, renamed, or removed."
Although this SDK is not feature complete, it will allow developers their first real glimpse at developing Direct3D applications for Windows Vista, and it also gives a clue that there are probably some surprises in store when it comes to the graphics in Windows Vista RC1.
The August 2006 DirectX SDK contains the DirectX Runtime and all DirectX software required to create DirectX compliant applications in C/C++ and C#.