DirectX

1. Platform, Price, and Supplier/Creator

• Microsoft Windows
• Free
• Microsoft: http://www.microsoft.com/

2. Applications

• DirectX is a collection of low level graphics APIs which support multimedia graphics processing and interaction, in particular development of games and video on Microsoft platforms such as Microsoft Windows and XBox.
• The APIs include DirectX Graphics for drawing, DirectInput for interfacing with various input devices such as a mouse or XBox Controllers, DirectPlay for networked games, DirectSound for audio support in waveform sound, DirectMusic for audio playback, DirectX Media for animation and multimedia playback, and DirectX Media Objects for streaming media.
  

3. Web Resources

   • Official website: http://www.gamesforwindows.com/en-US/AboutGFW/Pages/DirectX10.aspx
   • Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DirectX
   • Discussions: http://www.directx.com/home.htm