In article <alpine.DEB.1.10.1011301649580.3209 at sleipnir.cs.csubak.edu>,
David Griffith <dgriffi at cs.csubak.edu> writes:
I never understood why SGI made the texture memory
seperate unless it was
just a ploy to nickle and dime the customers.
For the same reason the current GPU manufacturers vary the amount of
RAM across their product line: it allows them to hit different price
points. Memory was more expensive when Octanes were current, as I'm
sure you're aware. For many CAD/CAM applications, texturing wasn't
necessary and saving the money for the TRAM modules was a significant
win because you don't pay for what you don't need. Even if you were
doing hollywood rendering stuff, you still might not need it because
the GPU wasn't going to render the final textured image anyway, it was
going to be rendered in software, so Gouraud shaded interactivity was
sufficient.
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