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Quaternions are 3D rotations (plus, possibly, rescaling). The author notes that they have the same API (I like this term used in mathematical context).

So, the actual point is that the word quaternions (and "these strange i, j, k") is confusing. Rightfully (at least for anyone without a background in maths or physics).

"Let's remove Quaternions from every 3D Engine" -> "Let's remove the word 'quaternion' from every 3D Engine"

(Nice explanations and visualization, anyway!)




API stands for Application Programming Interface. What is exactly an "API"? Why not just "interface" ? (One should generally avoid acronyms...)


Yes, it should be interface.

No need to distinguish here between API/CLI/GUI.


I agree, it's mostly a matter of words. But just for the record, quaternions in general are 4D isoclinic rotations (with optional scaling). Left-multiplication by a unit quaternion corresponds to a left-isoclinic rotation, and right-multiplication corresponds to a right-isoclinic one. By combining them you can produce any 4D rotation. A subset of this is the set of 3D rotations that rotate ix+jy+kz into ix'+jy'+kz'.




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