creativity does that. dx7 leaves plenty of space for creativity.
True, but shaders are an excellant tool to use with creativity in order to bring your point accross in a nicer way.
Isn't otacon's vivid gl nearing completion? And I think it probably or hopefully has shaders.
I'm assuming mark probably did consider updating to dx9 in b3d, but then realised that such an update would completely demolish the ease-of-use that makes blitz so good in the first place.