On Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:36:02 +0200, Thomas \"Punk-t\" Grahl wrote:

> There may be another reason for a main usage of POV-Ray: The rules of
> IRTC prefer(ed? - at least in the past) the more or less "free
> software". Keeping that in mind POV-Ray was one of only few tools to do
> ray tracing at all.

True.  And I recall that the rules did prefer freely available software 
(as compared to commercial software) for submissions.

But that also didn't mean you couldn't use modeling software like Moray 
(though those submissions probably were less likely to win since it 
wasn't about the coding - I think ultimately most considered IRTC to be a 
coding contest).

> Though, as a negatve side effect you will bring some tecknologies or
> methologies used by closed source and licensed software more or less
> down, because they are restricted to patents.

I don't think patents are the biggest problem there, or even really a 
major concern.  It's probably more that if you're using commercial-grade 
rendering software, you have access to more tools.  It's like putting me  
in a ring with a world champion sumo wrestler and believing that there's 
a chance I might win.

> IRTC shall be open for everyone and any institution, but its main target
> group should be the volunteer and hobby ray tracer.

Maybe there needs to be some self-regulated leveling - a beginner, 
intermediate, advanced, and professional breakdown, perhaps?

Jim

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