Charles Fusner wrote:
> 
> How about the following? I have really only changed the wording
> a tiny bit on the explanation of solid mesh (by changing "a point"
> to "a point on an object", and beginning with a brief summary of
> why meshes used to be a problem to emphasize better why the
> solution works.) I've also added something to suggest how to
> pick an inside vector (assuming that I'm understanding this
> correctly myself). Does this clarify better (and is it technically
> correct?)
> 
> [...]

With all respect for your writing abilities i think you text lacks the
understanding of inner workings to a large extent.  First of all your
introductory paragraph is quite misleading since you are talking about 'a
portion of a given object' - in fact only the insideness of individual
points in important.  Also CSG in not the only field in POV-Ray where
solid objects are required (see object pattern and inside() function). 
Finally 'firing' a ray might sound interesting but is definitely not the
common term for this matter.

I think such a long and more elaborate text would belong in the tutorial
section, and in that case should be illustrated with examples etc.  For
the reference section i find the current text way more precise and less
possible misleading.

For example the current text says:

"This will only work for well-behaved meshes, which are completely closed
volumes. If meshes have any holes in them, this might work, but the
results are not guaranteed."

Which is compact and precise.  You write:

"This usually works, on most completely closed shapes, although it may
still fail on meshes which have gaps or holes in them."

But the 'usually', 'most' and 'may' do not really help the reader, they
just irritate him.  Unexperienced users will think there is some kind of
magic randomly making it function or not.  And of course a torus shaped
mesh has a hole and is NTL suited for being solid. :-)

This is just IMHO of course.


Christoph

-- 
POV-Ray tutorials, IsoWood include,                 
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Last updated 13 Aug. 2002 _____./\/^>_*_<^\/\.______

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