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From: m1j
Subject: SDL Just a thought
Date: 22 Nov 2004 11:15:00
Message: <web.41a21038eefa433bb247013d0@news.povray.org>
I have been using Flash and Authorware a lot lately. Both use a version of
JavaScript and I am finding it to be a real nice language. The thought that
hit me was that one of POVRay's strongest features is the SDL. The only
thing I would like to see added is object classes and an expanded material
coding ability with the strength of renderman shader language but still
apart of the SDL structure. The function tools may be enough but I have not
learned how to use them. After these two additions the SDL could be what
the pov team uses for financing. For all companies using the SDL for
modelers or even other commercial raytracers a license fee could be levied.
If the tool is free then no fee would be required. I really think the POV
SDL is better then RIB and could be the next standard. Its power is the
fact it is programming.

Just a thought.


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From: Christoph Hormann
Subject: Re: SDL Just a thought
Date: 22 Nov 2004 11:55:02
Message: <cnt5eb$440$1@chho.imagico.de>
m1j wrote:
> I have been using Flash and Authorware a lot lately. Both use a version of
> JavaScript and I am finding it to be a real nice language. The thought that
> hit me was that one of POVRay's strongest features is the SDL. The only
> thing I would like to see added is object classes and an expanded material
> coding ability with the strength of renderman shader language but still
> apart of the SDL structure.

You are mixing up two things here - the language design and the program 
features.

> The function tools may be enough but I have not
> learned how to use them. After these two additions the SDL could be what
> the pov team uses for financing. For all companies using the SDL for
> modelers or even other commercial raytracers a license fee could be levied.
> If the tool is free then no fee would be required.

Just to make sure - there will be no usage restrictions for use of 
current SDL or any future versions, that would be quite ridiculous, a 
bit like requesting a fee from everyone who wants to speak a certain 
language.

What might be interesting and useful (but i am not sure if practicable) 
is to license a future POV-SDL parser for use in 3rd party programs.

Christoph

-- 
POV-Ray tutorials, include files, Sim-POV,
HCR-Edit and more: http://www.tu-bs.de/~y0013390/
Last updated 23 Sep. 2004 _____./\/^>_*_<^\/\.______


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From: m1j
Subject: Re: SDL Just a thought
Date: 22 Nov 2004 14:10:00
Message: <web.41a238849805f982b4e50870@news.povray.org>
Christoph Hormann <chr### [at] gmxde> wrote:
> m1j wrote:
> > I have been using Flash and Authorware a lot lately. Both use a version of
> > JavaScript and I am finding it to be a real nice language. The thought that
> > hit me was that one of POVRay's strongest features is the SDL. The only
> > thing I would like to see added is object classes and an expanded material
> > coding ability with the strength of renderman shader language but still
> > apart of the SDL structure.
>
> You are mixing up two things here - the language design and the program
> features.

Would not the program features reflect on the language design and
vice-versus?

>
> > The function tools may be enough but I have not
> > learned how to use them. After these two additions the SDL could be what
> > the pov team uses for financing. For all companies using the SDL for
> > modelers or even other commercial raytracers a license fee could be levied.
> > If the tool is free then no fee would be required.
>
> Just to make sure - there will be no usage restrictions for use of
> current SDL or any future versions, that would be quite ridiculous, a
> bit like requesting a fee from everyone who wants to speak a certain
> language.

Funny I feel the same way but the licensing of interface and scripting
language seems common in modern software marketing. Example: Sun Java vs.
MS Java.

Two things I was thinking of: one, help the povteam by providing a possible
source of funds; two, draw some attention to POVRAY and POV SDL by moving
it towards being a standard. This last idea is strengthen by making some
part of POVRAY commercial. Like the company I work for, POVRay would not be
an option because it is free. I know this is very illogical but companies
seem to think software is only good if it cost too much money. I did not
want to see POVRay become commercial but thought the SDL could in part be
used this way. In truth I prefer it like you stated. All free all of the
time. That is what makes POVRay so great. I tell people about POVRay I get
strange looks. They can not believe a free program can do so much.

I would still like to see the SDL as a standard for 3D activity. It is
almost there.

>
> What might be interesting and useful (but i am not sure if practicable)
> is to license a future POV-SDL parser for use in 3rd party programs.
>
> Christoph
>
> --
> POV-Ray tutorials, include files, Sim-POV,
> HCR-Edit and more: http://www.tu-bs.de/~y0013390/
> Last updated 23 Sep. 2004 _____.//^>_*_<^/.______


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From: Christoph Hormann
Subject: Re: SDL Just a thought
Date: 22 Nov 2004 15:55:02
Message: <cntjii$7cg$1@chho.imagico.de>
m1j wrote:
> 
> Would not the program features reflect on the language design and
> vice-versus?

No, the only relation that exists here is that a powerful language makes 
some higher level program features unnecessary.

> 
> Funny I feel the same way but the licensing of interface and scripting
> language seems common in modern software marketing. Example: Sun Java vs.
> MS Java.

This is not about licensing use of a language, this is about MS creating 
a different, incompatible language and advertising it under the same, 
protected name.

> Two things I was thinking of: one, help the povteam by providing a possible
> source of funds; two, draw some attention to POVRAY and POV SDL by moving
> it towards being a standard.

The idea that you could increase the popularity of a language by 
disallowing its use does not require any comment IMO...

Christoph

-- 
POV-Ray tutorials, include files, Sim-POV,
HCR-Edit and more: http://www.tu-bs.de/~y0013390/
Last updated 23 Sep. 2004 _____./\/^>_*_<^\/\.______


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From: Mike Thorn
Subject: Re: SDL Just a thought
Date: 22 Nov 2004 16:12:01
Message: <41a25621$1@news.povray.org>
Christoph Hormann wrote:
> The idea that you could increase the popularity of a language by 
> disallowing its use does not require any comment IMO...

I believe m1j has a point. I think there's a widespread idea in the 
high-end world that just because POV is free, it's junk. This is 
obviously untrue. Think about it: in every high-end graphics gallery 
you've seen, whether community or personal, how many POV images have you 
seen? I, for one, have never seen a single image. And I've looked.

Why is this? Of course it's not because POV is not easy to just pick up 
and churn out a beautiful picture. Alias sells a whole shelf's worth of 
books with the pure purpose of teaching one to use Maya. I think POV is 
easier than that.

I'm open to other reasons, but I think m1j nailed it: corps and 
mainstream high-end artists think that it's worthless because there's no 
price tag specifically designed to blow holes in their socks.

I have not gotten into the SDL yet but I would be reluctant to portion 
that off to sell - too many people have used it and have dependent 
scenes to make that practical. I am saying that it is probably 
worthwhile to create something, whether it's an SDL parser like 
Christoph mentioned or maybe some features more aimed at large 
companies, that could be sold. Or whatever - but something to put a 
price on it. That's what a lot of people want to see when they're 
shopping for their workflow.



~Mike


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From: Shay
Subject: Re: SDL Just a thought
Date: 22 Nov 2004 16:27:07
Message: <41a259ab$1@news.povray.org>
Mike Thorn wrote:

> Think about it: in every high-end graphics gallery you've 
> seen, whether community or personal, how many POV images have you 
> seen? I, for one, have never seen a single image. And I've looked.

Make an image of "high-end" quality with POV-Ray, and no one would 
hesitate to put your image in such a gallery. It's not my standard nor 
probably yours, but I know exactly the standard to which you are 
referring with "high end". No such POV images exist.

  -Shay


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From: Christoph Hormann
Subject: Re: SDL Just a thought
Date: 22 Nov 2004 17:00:02
Message: <cntn88$84a$1@chho.imagico.de>
Mike Thorn wrote:
> 
>> The idea that you could increase the popularity of a language by 
>> disallowing its use does not require any comment IMO...
> 
> I believe m1j has a point. I think there's a widespread idea in the 
> high-end world that just because POV is free, it's junk.

No.  If you make such extreme assumptions support them with examples or 
refrain from posting them.  I am quite sure though you are not able to 
give any real examples for this.  Depending on how you define 'high-end 
world' there are various reasons why POV-Ray does not play an important 
role there - POV-Ray as a whole or the SDL being free has no negative 
influence in any case.


Christoph

-- 
POV-Ray tutorials, include files, Sim-POV,
HCR-Edit and more: http://www.tu-bs.de/~y0013390/
Last updated 23 Sep. 2004 _____./\/^>_*_<^\/\.______


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From: Mike Thorn
Subject: Re: SDL Just a thought
Date: 22 Nov 2004 22:16:05
Message: <41a2ab75$1@news.povray.org>
Shay wrote:
  > Make an image of "high-end" quality with POV-Ray, and no one would
> hesitate to put your image in such a gallery. It's not my standard nor 
> probably yours, but I know exactly the standard to which you are 
> referring with "high end". No such POV images exist.

Personally, I would classify most of the HOF as "high end" quality. It 
may be just me, but I've looked at a lot of images done with 3DS Max, 
Maya, Cinema4D, Lightwave, etc, and IMO the images in the HOF are of the 
same caliber. For example:

http://povray.org/community/hof/office-13.php
http://povray.org/community/hof/bonsai.php
http://povray.org/community/hof/Villarceau_Circles-CSG.php
http://povray.org/community/hof/boltstill3.php
http://povray.org/community/hof/alchlab-big.php
http://povray.org/community/hof/patio.php
http://povray.org/community/hof/6b.php
http://povray.org/community/hof/16b.php
http://povray.org/community/hof/Frgotbig.php

I'm not immortal and I've been known to be wrong (a lot of the time). 
And Chris, I don't mean to make a blanket generalization statement and 
say that it's absolutely true that the only reason we don't see POV used 
in CGI houses is because it's free - like I said, I'm open to other 
reasons. It's just my personal opinion that it plays a tremendous part. 
:) I apologize if this wasn't clear.

~Mike


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From: Jim Charter
Subject: Re: SDL Just a thought
Date: 22 Nov 2004 23:53:37
Message: <41a2c251$1@news.povray.org>
Mike Thorn wrote:

> I'm open to other reasons, but I think m1j nailed it: corps and 
> mainstream high-end artists think that it's worthless because there's no 
> price tag specifically designed to blow holes in their socks.
>
No I must disagree.  The high-end programs support so much that is 
necessary for collaborative, production work that your line of thinking 
is off base.  Ambitious artists are going to show their talents on 
commercial production tools naturally, but I realize you understand that 
part.  But POV does not get ignored because it is free.  It is simply 
not a tool for collaborative production work.  And I could think of more 
reasons.  Like that when you want to tap into a talent pool, as an 
employer, you also have to keep an eye to what that talent pool is 
trained to do.  And I don't just me a particular interface, but a whole 
range of technical norms like shaders and texture mapping for instance.


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From: Tim Cook
Subject: Re: SDL Just a thought
Date: 23 Nov 2004 00:32:27
Message: <41a2cb6b$1@news.povray.org>
Mike Thorn wrote:
> I believe m1j has a point. I think there's a widespread idea in the 
> high-end world that just because POV is free, it's junk.

I think slow speed of renders that can be done relatively quickly with 
corner cutting in mainstream applications has more to do with it.  Pure 
raytracing is hopelessly inefficient, relegating POV to hobbyists and 
specialized applications where other methods are too cumbersome.

-- 
Tim Cook
http://home.bellsouth.net/p/PWP-empyrean

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