Graphical Kernel System
Encyclopedia
The Graphical Kernel System (GKS) was the first ISO
standard for low-level computer graphics
, introduced in 1977. GKS provides a set of drawing features for two-dimensional vector graphics
suitable for charting and similar duties. The calls are designed to be portable across different programming language
s, graphics devices and hardware, so that applications written to use GKS will be readily portable to many platforms and devices.
GKS was fairly common on computer workstations in the 1980s and early 1990s, and formed the basis of Digital Research's
GSX and GEM
products; the latter was common on the Atari ST
and was occasionally seen on PCs particularly in conjunction with Ventura Publisher
. It was little used outside these markets and is essentially obsolete today except insofar as it is the underlying API defining the Computer Graphics Metafile
. A descendant of GKS was PHIGS
.
A main developer and promoter of the GKS was Professor
José Luis Encarnação, formerly director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics (IGD) in Darmstadt
, Germany
.
GKS was ANSI
standard ANSI X3.124 and ISO standard ISO/IEC 7942. The language bindings are ISO standard ISO 8651. GKS-3D (Graphical Kernel System for Three Dimensions) functional definition is ISO standard ISO 8805 and the C
bindings are ISO 8806.
The functionality of GKS is wrapped up as a data model standard in ISO 10303
-46.
International Organization for Standardization
The International Organization for Standardization , widely known as ISO, is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations. Founded on February 23, 1947, the organization promulgates worldwide proprietary, industrial and commercial...
standard for low-level computer graphics
Computer graphics
Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....
, introduced in 1977. GKS provides a set of drawing features for two-dimensional vector graphics
Vector graphics
Vector graphics is the use of geometrical primitives such as points, lines, curves, and shapes or polygon, which are all based on mathematical expressions, to represent images in computer graphics...
suitable for charting and similar duties. The calls are designed to be portable across different programming language
Programming language
A programming language is an artificial language designed to communicate instructions to a machine, particularly a computer. Programming languages can be used to create programs that control the behavior of a machine and/or to express algorithms precisely....
s, graphics devices and hardware, so that applications written to use GKS will be readily portable to many platforms and devices.
GKS was fairly common on computer workstations in the 1980s and early 1990s, and formed the basis of Digital Research's
Digital Research
Digital Research, Inc. was the company created by Dr. Gary Kildall to market and develop his CP/M operating system and related products. It was the first large software company in the microcomputer world...
GSX and GEM
Graphical Environment Manager
GEM was a windowing system created by Digital Research, Inc. for use with the CP/M operating system on the Intel 8088 and Motorola 68000 microprocessors...
products; the latter was common on the Atari ST
Atari ST
The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals...
and was occasionally seen on PCs particularly in conjunction with Ventura Publisher
Corel Ventura
Ventura Publisher was the first popular desktop publishing package for IBM PC compatible computers running the GEM extension to the DOS operating system. The software was originally developed by Ventura Software, a small software company founded by John Meyer, Don Heiskel and Lee Jay Lorenzen, all...
. It was little used outside these markets and is essentially obsolete today except insofar as it is the underlying API defining the Computer Graphics Metafile
Computer Graphics Metafile
Computer Graphics Metafile is a free and open international standard file format for 2D vector graphics, raster graphics, and text, and is defined by ISO/IEC 8632.-Overview:...
. A descendant of GKS was PHIGS
PHIGS
PHIGS is an API standard for rendering 3D computer graphics, at one time considered to be the 3D graphics standard for the 1990s. Instead a combination of features and power led to the rise of OpenGL, which became the most popular professional 3D API of the 1990s...
.
A main developer and promoter of the GKS was Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
José Luis Encarnação, formerly director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics (IGD) in Darmstadt
Darmstadt
Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
GKS was ANSI
Ansi
Ansi is a village in Kaarma Parish, Saare County, on the island of Saaremaa, Estonia....
standard ANSI X3.124 and ISO standard ISO/IEC 7942. The language bindings are ISO standard ISO 8651. GKS-3D (Graphical Kernel System for Three Dimensions) functional definition is ISO standard ISO 8805 and the C
C (programming language)
C is a general-purpose computer programming language developed between 1969 and 1973 by Dennis Ritchie at the Bell Telephone Laboratories for use with the Unix operating system....
bindings are ISO 8806.
The functionality of GKS is wrapped up as a data model standard in ISO 10303
ISO 10303
ISO 10303 is an ISO standard for the computer-interpretable representation and exchange of product manufacturing information. Its official title is: Automation systems and integration — Product data representation and exchange...
-46.