How fast is Direct X

Hi I am like many programmers, being at dos programming with C++ for ages and finally about a month ago I started out in windows. I can create windows, menus, rectangles, pixels, sound cursors and so on. As you can imagine with this under my belt I couldn't wait to get started on my first real program. So I did and as soon as I started I began tor ealise how slow the Windows GDI really is.
Now I have heard that direct X is supposed to be a lot faster and I have got books on it. Its just I don't want to be spending another life time reading up on that if it isn't going to make that much difference to a novice like me.

It depends :)

What do you want to do with DirectX? Games? 3D graphics? Animated 2D stuff? In that case it's a lot faster then the GDI. But if you for some strange reason want to use DirectX to draw your own window elements, I think you should stick with the GDI =)

DX is fast enough for almost anything that you'll need to do. It can handle your graphics, input, and sound easily ;) Well... not exactly easily, but it can handle them ;) Anyway... what Darksaidin said. Use DX (or GL) for your graphics.

I just want to be able to make a nice 2d game. Nothing too exciting. I suppose if what you say is true I will have to hit the books again :(.
Thanks Guys

You probably won't need an API as advanced as DirectGraphics to make a 2D game, unless you are planning on putting in some killer effects. Same with OpenGL. I am making some 2D stuff with OGL, but that is because I want to use the 3D effects available, as well as just learn OpenGL. Unless you really want to get started in a advanced API, I would recommend Allegro. It is simple as crap, and platform-independent. A lot of people like SDL, but I don't really like it myself. ClanLib is available too, but I don't know much anything about it.

www.allegro.cc
www.libsdl.org