ABSTRACT
The first hurdle in learning DirectX programming relates to understanding Microsoft's Component Object Model (COM). The COM is a foundation for an object oriented system, at the operating system level, which supports and promotes the reuse of interfaces. COM originated as a support for Windows object linking and embedding (OLE). The COM has often been criticized as being difficult to understand and use. But as DirectX programmers we have no choice in the matter: DirectX is based on COM.
