[AD] Too old allegro for Windows platform !

Hello every Allegro devellopers ;-)

First, sorry for my bad english, i will do my best to be clear and understable.

:Setting the point of this e-mail and infos for understanding.

It is now a whole week that i have reading the source code of allegro.

My platform is windows XP sp2, and my devellopment compiler is now Dev-c++. I previously used Borland c++ 5.5 and builder 6.

I have just before Dev-c++ used MS-VC 6 for compile allegro source but it whas hardly to get a error free binary form of allegro.

There whas a lot of error for compiling the source of allegro (same thing with Dev-c++) but after 2 days of try to compiling allegro, i got finally a good working binary Allegro (demos exes, *.libs and *.dlls).

For security, i have downloaded the precompiled binaries (libs and dlls) (thanks you a lot for this because compiling allegro is somewhat a real pain sometimes).

My knowledge in computer programming is intermediate.

I have learned programming with Amiga-Basic on Amiga (1987-1995), Turbo-Pascal 7, QBasic, C (and the basis of C++) on PC (1995 - 200x ).

Now i use only C/C++ (Blitzbasic whas bugged and not very good because the example code whas not working correctly between subversion).

I don't want use DirectX for programming if is others solution more easy and faster to do the same job.

Maybe use OpenGL because they have a good reputation.

I have seen screenshot of it and tested some examples. Seem to be good and easy all purpose graphics lib.

DirectX: pro => very fast, allways updated

con => difficult to learn, to use and to program. DirectX change too much time and the code must be update with new API.

Alternative => OpenGL or DirectX Wrappers (Allegro, SDL).

Allegro: pro => Easy to learn, easy to use.

con => VERY TOO OLD FUNCTIONS, NOT EASY TO COMPILE THE SOURCE CODE, INCOMPATIBLE WITH OLDER VERSION !!! PLATFORM INDEPENDANT MORE THAN HYPOTHETICAL (because of the performance and the version of platform OS).

Alternative => SDL and OpenGL

OpenGL: pro => easy to learn (is what i have read and ear about), powerfull and platform independant, well documented.

con => i don't know more about it because i never used before, so ???

Alternative => SDl

:Now what i ask if it this is possible (please don't take it badly, i just ask it nicely without bad mind in it, i just say what i think that every Allegro think about! You made great work so far, now time to continue and optimise/update it).

1) For first: PLEASE test the compilation makefile before releasing new Allegro release.

I am not a guru programmer level, just an intermediate one (self learning programming of long time now), and i am null with makefile. I do no understand all the dependance and cross-platform things and others 'make' language. I think i am not the only one in this case.

2) Allegro is more easy and faster to program than DirectX. This is why i used so far, but... Allegro is very TOO OLD for the Windows/DirectX platform.

- The DirectX used in Allegro is ... DirectX3 but in reality it use only the DirectX2.

- In the file wwdraw.h = #define DIRECTDRAW_VERSION 0x0300

- In all DirectX call API => hr = IDirectDraw2_.... this is well DirectX2 API call, dead a long time ago ! In fact, DirectDraw died with DirectX8 and MS say that in future DDraw 7 API call will not supported anymore (because of use DirectGraphics / Direct3D).

- The DirectInput version is = #define DIRECTINPUT_VERSION 0x0500

And the rest of Allegro is the same too old code that make today Allegro a bad choice for learning game programming or for optimised and accurate game code. Now for more to say, Allegro is no more compatible with ... Allegro because 99% of the source code from tutorials and books that i have encouter for now cannot be compiled without bugs or impossibility to run without crashing !!!

I have try a lot of time to compile source examples from the books "Game Programming All In One 2ndEdition 2004", making change and using different compilers. They do not compile/run anymore.

What i am asking is: PLEASE upgrade/update the source code for at least DirectGraphics/DirectX 9.0.

I am ready to help but not about graphics functions because i am bad with 3D mathematics.

I think that the best solution is to start from scratch and create something like "Allegro Millenium Edition".

Now the bullet is in your side, i repeat i am ready to help with a lot of effort and work. But i don't want do it alone because it is too much work for one man to do it.

If there will no upgrade of Allegro to today optimised code performance. Can you then say it me so that i do not loose my time with an already dead library. I preffer learn a graphics library that do not slow down my code and that use optimised and very fast function like OpenGL or others DirectX Wrappers.

Thank you for your time reading this e-mail

I am now waiting a answear or news from you.