Intel has been working to improve Linux gaming and as part of that earlier this year they published the GLX_MESA_query_renderer extension. The purpose of this GLX extension is to provide more system -- particularly graphics-related -- information than what's easily accessible right now. Just before the Mesa 10.0 branching, support for this useful extension was merged.

It took a while to merge GLX_MESA_query_renderer but this original GLX extension conceived by Intel developers is now present for Mesa 10.0. The extension can expose graphics processor information not easily exposed right now on Linux about the renderer/GPU without dealing with other libraries and overall just a messy situation that's traditionally been filled with hacks for game developers needing precise graphics information.

Through multiple commits made on Thursday, the GLX_MESA_query_renderer will now be present in the Mesa 10.0 release in a few weeks time. Though whether OpenGL game and application developers decide to depend upon this extension will depend upon what other Linux drivers implement support for this extension -- particularly the proprietary AMD and NVIDIA GPU drivers.