T'vakah wrote:
> 
> I just downloaded 3.1g and after reading the update list and am completely
> clueless as to what a 4D and, especially, 5D vector are.  Is this somehow an
> aproximation of what a 4 or 5 dimension obejct would look like from 3D
> space?
> 
> T'vakah
My two cents worth:
A vector is a string of numbers / referances in an ordered group: such
as x,y on a graph.
In 3D space you need three references to an exact location: x,y,z
You could also use a three dimensional vector to hold color information
r,g,b
You could store the values of the amounts of three metals to make
different alloys
4D. Have extra information to store? Transparency? Use a 4D vector
<r,b,g,t>
It could be used to hold a location and a ? <x,y,z,?> Whatever  ? is.

In POVRay, 3D space has been used in color <r,g,b> and location <x,y,z>,
4D space has been used with color in two ways <r,b,g,t> and <r,g,b,f>
5D space has been used with color also <r,g,b,t,f>

If you used a color vector <r,g,b> as a location vector <x,y,z>, it
would still work. Maybe.
If you use a location vector <x,y,z> as a color vector, you would get
very odd colors
Taking one set of data and applying it to a different situation isn't a
good idea.

4D vectors do not apply to <x,y,z> space and one more added length
measurement in some
direction that we, as 3D space creatures, just can't see. I know, I
know, many science 
fiction stories are based on this idea. But POVRay is a 3D modeling
program. It uses them
for other things. 5D space is just the same.

Mr. Art

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