Graphics adapter capable of supporting lighting models from multiple application programming interfaces within a graphics system

A graphics system capable of supporting lighting models from multiple Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), comprising:

• a processor;
• an input device, coupled to said processor, for communicating with said processor;
• a graphics adapter coupled to said processor, wherein said graphics adapter further includes
• a dot product machine;
• and
• a control means for multiplexing between a set of graphics data having a first API format and a set of graphics data having a second API format to select inputs of said dot product machine, such that lighting models from multiple APIs can be supported by said graphics adapter;
• a display, coupled to said graphics adapter, for displaying graphics data received from said graphics adapter.