SGI inventor Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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Topics covered in this FAQ:
---------------------------
   -1- GENERAL QUESTIONS
   -2- What is Open Inventor?
   -3- What is IRIS Inventor?
   -4- Is Inventor a format for 3D data?
   -5- Can I use Inventor to create 3D objects?
   -6- Is Inventor a user interface toolkit?
   -7- Is there a performance cost using a software layer on top of GL?
   -8- Does Inventor require C++?
   -9- Does Inventor work with the GNU C++ compiler?
  -10- Does Inventor have a Fortran or Ada API?
  -11- Where can I get detailed, technical information on Inventor?
  -12- How can I order Inventor software and/or documentation?
  -13- How can I learn Inventor Programming?
  -14- QUESTIONS ABOUT OPEN INVENTOR
  -15- What version of Open Inventor runs on which version of IRIX?
  -16- What Silicon Graphics platforms support Open Inventor?
  -17- What are the new features in Open Inventor 2.1?
  -18- How hard is it to port from IRIS Inventor to Open Inventor?
  -19- How hard is it to port from Open Inventor 2.0.1 to Open Inventor
       2.1?
  -20- How can I make my Open Inventor application faster?
  -21- When I compile my Inventor program, I get an error in
       SoDebugError.h.
  -22- QUESTIONS ABOUT IRIS INVENTOR
  -23- What version of IRIS Inventor runs on which version of IRIX?
  -24- Will I be automatically upgraded to Open Inventor if I have IRIS
       Inventor?
  -25- Will my IRIS Inventor programs stop working if I install Open
       Inventor?
  -26- Can I develop Open and IRIS Inventor programs on the same system?
  -27- Prerequisite error installing Inventor 1.1.2
  -28- Why do I get errors compiling the Inventor sample programs?