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The best OpenGL software should state its version, allow enabling/disabling of features, have emulation options for older cards, and list incompatible configurations. Control over rendering techniques can improve performance. Compatibility with specific hardware should also be checked.
Regardless of what function the software ultimately performs, there are some things the best OpenGL® software will have that other programs may not. A good program that uses OpenGL® as its main GUI should clearly state somewhere which version of OpenGL® the program is based on. It should also have a way to enable or disable OpenGL® library features that might cause some hardware configuration issues, such as adjusting alias or changing screen resolution. High-end OpenGL® software, such as video games, may have been written using only the latest graphics cards and libraries, which means it’s important to have an option for some kind of software emulation to ensure that the program runs on older cards. Well-tested OpenGL® software should have at least a partial list of graphics cards, drivers, or other configurations that are known not to work with the program, so users don’t waste time and effort installing a program that won’t work.
When choosing the best OpenGL® software, the version of OpenGL® that the program uses can be important to performance and can determine whether the program will even run on a given system. In general, OpenGL® is backwards compatible, which means that programs compiled using older libraries will work normally with the newer drivers. Sometimes, however, newer versions of OpenGL® or unreleased experimental versions can rely on features that aren’t in the standard driver set, requiring a special installation just to get the program to work.
Another feature included in some of the best OpenGL® software is control over which advanced rendering techniques are used. Poorly designed OpenGL® software may try to force a certain level of anti-aliasing, screen resolution, or device refresh rate that won’t work well on all systems. Having a control panel within the software that allows the user to enable, change or disable certain features can help improve the performance of a program.
Even when a computer or other device has a new, updated graphics card and drivers installed, it’s still important to check if the OpenGL® software supports that card type. This is because not all hardware implements the OpenGL® standard equally, and some developers choose not to support some lines of graphics hardware. While well-written OpenGL® software tends not to rely on specific hardware features, some software works and may not work without that specific hardware.
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