Vertex Array objects and vertexbufferobjects. I'm asking about Gears. Apparently it is an immediate mode application.
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/6733934/what-does-immediate-mode-mean-in-opengl
Immediate mode is in essence deprecated. Everyone is supposed to be using Retained Mode:
https://www.opengl.org/discussion_boards/showthread.php/147118-Explain-me-Immediate-mode-and-Retained-mode-In-OGL-and-D3D!
I've done plenty of research into OpenGL. Trust me. I just don't have knowledge of the syntax for Retained Mode in JOGL. I know that it is there (retained mode) one of the demos uses it. I just have only found that one and
it is difficult to work through - its very complicated.
So VAOs and VBOs are used to store vertex lists, indices lists, texture maps, and lighting information among other things, Then there is a loop that calls drawElements() that does the actual rendering. It is quite different
from immediate mode.