On and off over the last couple of years, I've also thought of migrating to a
commercial, GUI-based program, one 'easier to use' (and without the little bugs
that can sometimes stop the creative process cold.) Lightwave and Cinema 4D have
always aroused my interest (although they probably have bugs of their own!) Yet,
like others here, I now 'think' in POV-Ray terms.  And the program is getting
easier to use--and more understandable--the more I work with it. In short, it
has become a familiar friend. And being able to code a scene from scratch is
just plain fascinating; I doubt that I would get the same mental satisfaction
from a GUI program. It's like an all-around, jack-of-all-trades tool--or a box
of shiny gadgets that can be assembled in just about any way imaginable--and I
feel I haven't even scratched the surface of what it can do.  And IMO, POV-Ray
can create imagery on a par with the best software out there. Perhaps a bit
more slowly--but I'm in no race to the finish line.

Oh, and it was free--a BIG point in its favor. (I just couldn't see forking over
$thousands for a commercial program that I would only be using on a hobbyist
basis. Not to put POV-Ray into a 'hobbyist' category--it's *certainly* capable
of producing beautiful, professional results.) Funny thing is, I can now afford
to buy a commercial package--but I really don't want to! The only limitations of
POV-Ray are my *own* limitations. I learn something new every time I use it.

Personally, I see POV-Ray as the "thinking man's" CGI program. (Or woman's!)

KW

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"Christian Froeschlin" <chr### [at] chrfrde> schreef in bericht 
news:4a00b5a7$1@news.povray.org...
>
> ... except he may have thought of you as being on
> the other side of the gap ;)

Really? In that case there are more gaps than one I am afraid.... :-)

Thomas

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Thomas de Groot wrote:

> 
> 
> Really? In that case there are more gaps than one I am afraid.... :-)
> 

Not a bad thing to remember.  You are very much in the van here when it 
comes to utilizing Poser.

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Jim Charter <jrc### [at] msncom> wrote:
> Thomas de Groot wrote:
> > Really? In that case there are more gaps than one I am afraid.... :-)
>
> Not a bad thing to remember.  You are very much in the van here when it
> comes to utilizing Poser.

I have the impression that some of the gaps observed are - at least in part -
due to people specializing.

We have some people here doing incredible stuff with SDL regarding macro
frameworks.

Others create mind-boggling landscapes.

Yet others do fascinating experiments with abstract stuff and mathematical
formulae (like that freakin' cellular-automaton shell).

Some are experts on global illumination techniques.

Others know everything there is to know about isosurfaces.

Tom places at least one poser figure into every shot he does.

Yet others seem to be experts at modelling and rendering Lego scenes ;)

And so on.

So we not only have gaps between "beginners" and "semi-professionals", but also
between various specialists. And an "all-rounder" might find that wherever he
looks, there's always some specialist who can do better.

For instance, accordig to the last TC-IRTC round I must be doing *something*
right, and playing in one league with Robert McGregor, yet it still feels like
he is quite a deal ahead of me - but maybe that's just because I only see how
good he is at doing water, and fail to notice that my sand isn't bad either ;)

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"clipka" <nomail@nomail> schreef in bericht 
news:web.4a02e8c44eec845cf708085d0@news.povray.org...
> I have the impression that some of the gaps observed are - at least in 
> part -
> due to people specializing.
>

Yes, I think that is the correct answer. Unfortunately, it is also like the 
expansion of the universe (or evolution): cross-links are increasingly 
difficult to make with time...

Thomas

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I'll step out of the murky depths at add a cent or two.
I was really active here ten to fifteen years ago. RL got in the way, and worse,
I lost a couple of gigs of POV-related code in an archiving accident. I was so
wounded by the experience I couldn't get back into POV-Ray.

I still dabble but don't do anything of real import. Losing POV-Ray meant losing
art for a while.

Josh English

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POV being open source means that if there's something I don't like (mesh
artifacts) or a feature I want to use (AO, weird area lights, ramp/skin
shaders) I can at least try to change or add them, and SDL is plenty expressive
enough if I do most of the hard work of making a scene in Wings. Without that
choice though, or if I cared at all about animation, I'd have probably gone for
some mid-tier app (Carrara?) long ago.

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"Josh English" <nomail@nomail> wrote in message 
news:web.4a0deb154eec845c61c4f2f40@news.povray.org...
> I'll step out of the murky depths at add a cent or two.
> I was really active here ten to fifteen years ago. RL got in the way, and 
> worse,
> I lost a couple of gigs of POV-related code in an archiving accident. I 
> was so
> wounded by the experience I couldn't get back into POV-Ray.
>
> I still dabble but don't do anything of real import. Losing POV-Ray meant 
> losing
> art for a while.
>
> Josh English

I'll step out of the closet for a moment or two, too....  Hi Josh :)

I was at one point in time in the distant past the most prolific poster on
these forums. Real life got in the way for me and when I figured out how
to get past that I discovered the joy of digital photography. I loved 
POV-Ray
but I was never really all that artistic with it. Digital photography 
released
what few creative talents I have and still demands much of my spare time.
I, too, still dabble with POV-Ray but no where to the extent I once did. I
do a lot of busines travel and have POV-Ray installed on my work laptop.
During those lonely nights in the motel rooms I sometimes fire it up to keep
entertained. I still marvel at what this program can do.

Ken Tyler - Retired POV-Ray TAG Member

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Ken wrote:
> 
> "Josh English" <nomail@nomail> wrote in message 
> news:web.4a0deb154eec845c61c4f2f40@news.povray.org...
>> I'll step out of the murky depths at add a cent or two.
>> I was really active here ten to fifteen years ago. RL got in the way, 

>> and worse,
>> I lost a couple of gigs of POV-related code in an archiving accident. 

>> I was so
>> wounded by the experience I couldn't get back into POV-Ray.
>>
>> I still dabble but don't do anything of real import. Losing POV-Ray 
>> meant losing
>> art for a while.
>>
>> Josh English
> 
> I'll step out of the closet for a moment or two, too....  Hi Josh :)
> 
> I was at one point in time in the distant past the most prolific poster
 on
> these forums. Real life got in the way for me and when I figured out ho
w
> to get past that I discovered the joy of digital photography. I loved 
> POV-Ray
> but I was never really all that artistic with it. Digital photography 
> released
> what few creative talents I have and still demands much of my spare tim
e.
> I, too, still dabble with POV-Ray but no where to the extent I once did
. I
> do a lot of busines travel and have POV-Ray installed on my work laptop
.
> During those lonely nights in the motel rooms I sometimes fire it up to
 
> keep
> entertained. I still marvel at what this program can do.
> 
> Ken Tyler - Retired POV-Ray TAG Member
> 
	Hey, uncle Ken!

	Nice to hear what became of you.

		Jerome
-- 
mailto:jeb### [at] freefr
http://jeberger.free.fr
Jabber: jeb### [at] jabberfr

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Ken wrote:

  Digital photography
> released
> what few creative talents I have and still demands much of my spare time.

Great story to hear.  I remember that now.

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