> So you just write a simple little program that outputs POV code whenever
> you need objects created with programming constructs?

	Show us a "simple little program" to parse POV code.


> So you want it to work in theory, but not in practice? :-)

	Not at all - Works differently in practice.

> Have you ever heard of the saying, "If it works, don't fix it!"?

	The same could have been said about MSDOS.
	I'm sure there were quite a few people hesitant
	about giving up their command line.  I heard
	that punch-cards were a good technology too.

> chopping out the most popular portions and making
> the rest harder to hand code would be a big mistake in my opinion.

	That scenario is not what is being suggested.

> And if it is left in, why deprecate it?
> Why should POV-Script be declarative and not procedural?

	POV-Script should remain procedural, but perhaps
	in the XML context it would be better to leave it
	out.  We're talking about an alternative, not
	a replacement.

> > I  think the POV team and
> > community should focus not on becoming a more general programming
> > environment, but on better linkage to programming environments.
> 
> This has the disadvantages of being more platform dependant

	An ANSI C compiled library is about as portable as it
	gets.  A Java wrapper to this API is also pretty portable.

> harder to distribute "scene files", 

	Distributing scene files isn't the only goal, what about the
	images that come out at the end?

> harder to learn to use, 

	I find it harder to learn POV script than to use languages
	that I'm already confortable with.

> requiring external programs to code scenes, 

	Entirely optional.

> and also a lot harder to offer support for. 

	You don't offer support for 3rd party apps anyway.  I get 
	support for the compilers that I've bought.

> If everyone is using their own language, that will break the POV community
> into several different sections. 

	The POV community could use some diversification. :-)

> Having just one POV-Script means everyone can gain from experience 
> of others and sharing information is easier.

	The pov scripts that I write are of zero interest to anyone
	else.  My goal is usually the image, not an elegant scene
	file.

--
Nigel Stewart (nig### [at] nigelscom)
Research Student, Software Developer
Y2K is the new millenium for the mathematically challenged.

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