You missed a key point: with OpenGL 1.3 you don't need to follow the glBegin/glVertex/glEnd paradigm. You can create a display list or you can use vertex arrays. In fact the reason for including display lists in the first place was to make it so you didn't have to send one vertex at a time.
I don't agree with JWZ, regardless. OpenGL ES was a good simplification to the overall system. But he is right in that an optional compatibility layer that lives on top of OpenGL ES would have kept the original API valid for those who need it (and without slowing down the core of OpenGL ES).
I don't agree with JWZ, regardless. OpenGL ES was a good simplification to the overall system. But he is right in that an optional compatibility layer that lives on top of OpenGL ES would have kept the original API valid for those who need it (and without slowing down the core of OpenGL ES).