Yes, it is great isn't it?  Of course I must admit I use other software (the
ones you branded as not being good... maybe if you actually PURCHASED one of
them...)

But that aside, yes, POV-Ray has become an amazing piece of software and a
fine tool for computer artists.  KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!!

--
Lance.

(Please don't flame me just because I CHOOSE to use other software too)

---
For the latest 3D Studio MAX plug-ins, images and much more, go to:
The Zone - http://come.to/the.zone

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This is great. There is much to be said about POV, and not much of it is bad. I
thank you all, both POVers and POVmakers. Good luck, and keep striving for
something new.



-- 
//Spider 
( spi### [at] bahnhofse ) [ http://www.bahnhof.se/~spider/ ]
#declare life = rand(seed(42))*sqrt(-1);

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My sentiments exactly.

Don't think of that POV user world map I've got is all there is to the
POV-Ray people of the planet either. As anyone might guess there are
many, many more than that. I often wondered how everyone found POV-Ray
to begin with, probably a lot like me. Through interest in 3D computer
modeling/graphics and looking around at all the various raytracers
online. I first encountered raytracing by way of a commercial program at
a local computer software store. 3D Design Plus 2.0, which said on the
box "New Ray Tracing and Dimensioning Features" in one of those little
look-at-me stamps on the front amidst the usual cone, sphere, etc.
objects with flat textures applied, no normals far as I recall. Then
online I began the search for more of such programs because no one had
any at the stores. Polyray was discovered and soon after POV-Ray (thank
God!).
Only thing that really keeps me from moving away from POV-Ray, I'm
almost ashamed to say, is it's price. I suppose if I had the money I
would be using 3D Studio or one of many other programs to 'ray trace'
instead. Then again maybe not. Other all-in-one packages always seem to
lack in something and the plug-in-as-you-go method programs look as
though they function about the same as POV-Ray. No incentive to use any
other then. Of course, this is really subject to what one sees fit as
their desired medium to work in I think too.

Thanks to all you peers from me too.


Anthony Bennett wrote:
> 
> I used that header to call your attention, and now that I have it I want
> to say a few things.
> 
> @ I wish all the POV team the best in anything they do. We would not be
> together the way we are without them. God bless you people.
> @ I truly admire and respect each and every one of the artists,
> animators, mathematicians, physicists, normal-peoples, and those that
> fall into the category 'all-of-the-above', who have graced the pages of
> this newsgroup with all their help, inspiration, and works which keep us
> interested in this phenomenon known as POV-Ray.
> @ I am glad I chose POV-Ray over the competition, 3DS Max, Truespace,
> Lightwave, Bryce, etc., which I had every chance in the world to pirate
> from multiple sources. I am glad I chose the good one.
> @ I'm glad I kept on coming here, or else I would have been in the dark
> about all these developements.
> @ I feel we now have a truly complete set of plug-ins in the include
> files which have appeared over time. Let's look over the list of what we
> have: lens flares/effects, splines, clock modifiers, object
> exploders/benders, fur/grass/fuzz, water, cloth, particle systems,
> extruding/lofting, sprays, galaxies, links, trees, mesh animation, and I
> could go on and on. This is very cool. We have nothing to envy from the
> big packages. Nothing can stop our creative power.
> 
> That's all I had to say. Reflect on each point a bit. Be greatful. Keep
> working like you do. Improve. Expand. Make the community proud of what
> it represents.
> 
> Have a nice day. =)

-- 
 omniVERSE: beyond the universe
  http://members.aol.com/inversez/POVring.htm
 mailto:inv### [at] aolcom?PoV

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There is even more behind that. Povray seems to be now a the measure
tape all those supercomputer and clustering freaks use.
http://slashdot.org has a link to BBC about a linux cluster made by IBM.
Guess what they used for benchmarking ... 
yes good ole povray!!!

Have a look at:

http://www.infoworld.com/cgi-bin/displayStory.pl?99039.ecsuperlinux.htm


I think that's not what the POVmakers intended first hand but I guess
they like it too! :-)


Marc
-- 
Marc Schimmler

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Strangely enough, I discovered POV-Ray through Moray. I don't remember where
I got it (Moray) from, but it had this great cow model that I wanted to
render... Hold on... What's this? "Please specify your POV-Ray directory"?
What?! I didn't get it. So I dropped Moray. But some time later I noticed
POV-Ray on a CD. And the rest, as they say, is history...
In my opinion, there are two faculties where POV really excels. First is the
procedural generation of scenes. Few 3D packages have scripting languages
for doing this.
Second is the rendering itself. While I have not seen all the renderers in
existence, I feel pretty sure in saying this: provided that you manage to
model the scene, POV can render the scene with more realism / syrrealism
than most other renderers.
The volumetric effects are the most powerful I have seen anywhere (although
difficult to control). Advanced reflection functions, dispersion, true
caustics, isosurfaces - those are just a few "unofficial" features that will
hopefully find their way into the official POV-Ray. And who knows what the
POV-Team has in store...
In short, I am happy that I discovered POV-Ray. I have used it for quite a
while, but mastering it is still a long way off (and yet I consider myself a
fast learner). The fun never ends...

Well, here's a bit of blabbing for ya. 2 cents/page retail price. Allowances
apply to shipments in bulk.

Margus

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Actually, I have a friend who'd been making some nifty GFX in POV, so when I saw
it on a local CD, I installed and ran it. I was surprised that it was
code-based, since I had tried and discarded 3D studio max erlier. Beeing a
coder, I felt at home almost at once, and started remaking the examples. Then...
well...

-- 
//Spider 
( spi### [at] bahnhofse ) [ http://www.bahnhof.se/~spider/ ]
#declare life = rand(seed(42))*sqrt(-1);

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> Yes, it is great isn't it?  Of course I must admit I use other software (the
> ones you branded as not being good...

By saying that I was glad I chose the good renderer, doesn't imply that the
other ones don't have their fortes, they do, but that this was the one that I
found myself more at home with and free to put the picture's in my mind's eye
into a real picture. Sure, the others are also great. I can't imagine companies
trying to make Titanic and Jurassic Park and such with POV. That would be crazy.

> maybe if you actually PURCHASED one of them...)

I have actually tried almost all of them (Bryce 2 & 3d, 3DS Max 1 & 2 & 2.5,
Lightwave 5.6, and others). Bryce is nice, but it lacks in output, animation
(that is easy to do), etc. 3DS Max is very nice, but without a manual, very
confusing. It scared me, to be honest. Lightwave I like. No complaints about it.
But I chose to use POV and until I have a couple thousand bucks, I'll keep using
it.

Your site is nice, BTW.

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Anthony Bennett wrote:
> 
> I used that header to call your attention, and now that I have it I want
> to say a few things.

<snipped for brevity sake>

  Well said.

  The only problem I have is that I can't find where to send the registration
fee to and how much to pay. I feel guilty about using it without registering it.
No program this good could be free could it ?

-- 
Ken Tyler

mailto://tylereng@pacbell.net

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Oh thank you for the nice comment about my site (people RARELY comment on
it!!! ;-)

Sorry, I misunderstood you.  Now I know what you meant.  (Just me being
over-protective and arguementative as usual I guess).

MAX really isn't hard to use actually.  I've never looked in the manuals
(not the physical ones anyway).  Actually, I really don't see why they
provide books with it, I mean, combined they are over 4 inches thick!!!  As
if ANYONE would have the time to read them!!!  Besides, I don't see a search
option on them ;-)

he he he

Of course without POV-Ray I DEFINITELY wouldn't be as good with MAX.
POV-Ray gave me an excellent grounding in 3D concepts and 3D mathematics
(something I find myself always using now).  I'm very happy that I
experianced POV-Ray before jumping to a visual modeller/render.  POV-Ray is
still a wonderful rendered to use (and always will be), I always find it
fascinating what people can do with it, especially now with the introduction
of Media.  A lot of the stuff on these newsgroups is of a higher quality
than most of the stuff I've seen done by amatures using MAX.  I think that's
mainly because they've pirated it, and they don't really understand the
concepts involved (they expect the program to do it for them, and it
won't!).  That's what I think is so great about POV-Ray, you learn
everything as you're using it and it gives you a technical understanding
too!

May the force be with you, POV-Ray!

--
Lance.


---
For the latest 3D Studio MAX plug-ins, images and much more, go to:
The Zone - http://come.to/the.zone

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Ken schrieb in Nachricht <36E89759.E4C34A62@pacbell.net>...
>Anthony Bennett wrote:
>>
>> I used that header to call your attention, and now that I have it I want
>> to say a few things.
>
><snipped for brevity sake>
>
>  Well said.
>
>  The only problem I have is that I can't find where to send the
registration
>fee to and how much to pay. I feel guilty about using it without
registering it.
>No program this good could be free could it ?

Mail me directly and I'll give you the registration details and bank
account. Until then, you have my permission to use it as it is.

--
Rudy Velthuis

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