John Mellerick wrote:
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> Not sure if this is the right group for it (maybe advanced users would be
> better). I've just written an article about Povray's arealights, based on
> some tests I've conducted recently, and unfortunatly I have to say it isn't
> glowing with praise for them.
> 
> You can read the article here:
> http://www.redbrick.dcu.ie/~element/areaLights/
> 
> [...]

You seem to have put quite some work into that, but you don't seem to know
very much about the technical aspects of soft shadows in a raytracer in
general and about the POV-Ray area_light function in particular.

I addition your text does not seem to spend a single word on speed
issues.  

My suggestion before jumping to quick conclusions would be to:
- read the relevant sections of the POV-Ray documentation again, a lot of
the things you write indicate you did not really understand what
area_lights are about.
- read something about the techniques of soft shadows in raytracing in
general, you seem to think the POV-Team does not know how to implement a
good area light function...
- try some other raytracers for comparison and see if they supply more
realistic functions.
- use POV-Ray more intensively to get a feeling for the necessities when
really using the program and not just doing theoretical tests.

BTW, most of the images are broken because of spaces in the file names.

Christoph

-- 
POV-Ray tutorials, IsoWood include,                 
TransSkin and more: http://www.tu-bs.de/~y0013390/  
Last updated 13 Aug. 2002 _____./\/^>_*_<^\/\.______

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