It's pointless arguing about software support for hardware T&L. There's a reason why it's there.

You ever wonder why Nvidia went out did a T&L engine for GeForce? No, I don't mean all that malarkey about polygon counts, and CPU bottlenecks, and whatever else. I mean, none of these graphics companies are stupid. They're really not about to waste millions of dollars on features that no one wants, and it isn't as if Nvidia's alone in having T&L support. S3 has it on the Savage2000. So, why do it? Really, why?

Okay, seeing how you asked, I'll tell you.

Warning, Will Robinson! Danger! Danger!

What follows will not please those of you who actually tried to explain to me why you can't have a 113 year old octogenarian, or the guy who got annoyed at not finding any Web references to Vito Prudentia or, this is a classic, the guy who kept e-mailing me to find out who wrote the article.

This is my Trick and Treat.

So, back to why T&L. I guess the simplest way to describe it would be to map out a hypothetical scenario involving some as yet to be discovered feature of the PC.

Intel Marketing, in the not so distant future, will determine that there is no reason to buy an Intel CPU over another, and people are about to give up their PCs for talking refrigerators, and Internet-enabled toilet roll holders. To overcome consumer antipathy towards the PC, the company does a survey to determine what consumers want most. It turns out that at any given time, most people have a yearning for pie. Maybe because pies are so difficult to bake, or that usually, you wouldn't think of buying a whole one unless you had friends over, but invariably, they make good eating.

"Aha," says Intel Marketing Executive One, "We need pie enhancements!"

"Good idea," says Intel Marketing Executive Two, "We can throw in a pie with each CPU, and keep ASPs up, way up. I'll send a memo to engineering."

"Look, I may be wrong," chimes in recent MBA graduate Internet Marketing Manager Ninety Seven, "But, if you do pie extensions than you should really go for an October launch. We'll get the Christmas buying crowd, and research indicates that pie eating reaches fever pitch between the end of October, and the New Year celebrations."

"We're glad we employed you, young 'un." Smiles Internet Marketing Executive One, who then has the upstart transferred to Intel's Alaskan research facilities.