Microsoft DX9 SDK beta 1 disclosed

The site reports that the release will have new versions of the D3DX library, and also a set of fresh features.

Those include support for shader model 2.0, animation system updates, and a stack of other stuff.

According to Neowin, the support for shader model 2.0 will let the high level shader language use flow control with predication to cut down the number of instructions needed for advanced shaders.

There's much more information, here. µ