John Carmack, 3D programming guru and co-founder of id Software, is undoubtedly one of the most revered figures in the gaming industry, and his work, company, and influence are the subject of a new profile on Red Herring. In addition to helping create the classic first-person shooters Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, and the Quake series, Carmack has also influenced the development of graphics standards for the industry as a whole. As part of its overview of Carmack, the article touches on his dedication to OpenGL as an alternative to Microsoft's DirectX technology:

When Microsoft tried to launch a graphics standard for PC hardware in the early '90s, John Carmack, the ace programmer behind some of the hottest games ever created for the PC, stayed away from it. Eight years later, Mr. Carmack is still steering clear of Microsoft's standard as he cranks out the next version of id Software's Doom.

"It's almost like a religious thing for him," grumbles Otto Berkes, a Microsoft program manager who until recently oversaw the company's DirectX graphics technology division. Unlike Mr. Carmack, many other game developers have adopted the technology.

Mr. Carmack, cofounder and lead programmer at id Software, is sticking to his own graphics technology. He is an absolute techno-purist who seeks to produce a common code that can run on Windows, Linux, and Macintosh operating systems — something he can't do with Microsoft's technology. And by being such a purist, he delights hard-core gamers and graphics experts. Among programmers, he is lionized for his advocacy of openness, particularly for allowing id Software's game engines to be used to create an infinite number of customized versions of its games. And among gamers, he is praised for unapologetically making the highly realistic and ultraviolent shooting games that delight young males and horrify parents and politicians.

Red Herring: John Carmack Profile

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