"SharkD" <nomail@nomail> wrote:
> "clipka" <nomail@nomail> wrote:
> > I'd recommend some mainstream programming language, and exporting only the
> > *final* results of the sim to an SDL.
>
> I have to disagree with this statement. There's nothing wrong with POV SDL. The
> only tricky bit is converting between data formats (i.e. HF, mesh and/or
> isosurface).
>
> -Mike

Mike, there is *A LOT* wrong with POV SDL if you try to mis-use it as a
full-fledged programming language:

- No support for data structures other than arrays
- Poor performance with sub-routines (macros are parsed over and over again for
each invocation, and there is no alternative that would be pre-compiled)
- Inconsistencies as to built-in functions & variables (not all are available in
user-defined functions)
- No native support for integer numbers
- Inconsistent support for vectors (speaking of user-defined functions again)
- Poor loop statements, being prone to programming errors
- Various other (comparatively minor) issues

I'm quite sure you can do *everything* with POV SDL, as it is basically
touring-complete (if I'm not mistaken) - but so is brainfuck, and I guess even
*you* wouldn't want to program anything more complex than maybe "hello world"
in *that* language...

After all, SDL was designed as a *scene description* language, not as a
*programming* language, and if you have ever *used* (not just toyed around
with) a full-fledged *programming* language you'll notice the difference.

From my experience, I can only say that POV SDL becomes *very* slow *very*
quickly with increasing problem complexity, when comparing it to a full-fledged
programming language.

But then again I'm not an SDL pro, so I may be missing out on some tricks &
quirks of SDL.

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