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Animation and graphics
is devoted to a description of hardware, the emphasis of the book being on algorithms, techniques and software systems. Instead of the somewhat obscure SAIL language used in the first edition, algorithms are presented in PASCAL. The first section is concerned with graphics packages, and more particularly with display files, picture structure and the relationship with geometric models. Newman and Sproull do not attempt to join the controversy currently surrounding the issue of graphics standards; rather they present a logical framework for constructing graphics systems based on their own extensive experience of implementations. .The third section discusses interaction, especially graphical input,
from the point of view of available hardware, input techniques, and system-level event handling. The fourth section, on raster graphics, has been mentioned earlier, and constitutes the best available text on this rapidly expanding area. Topics covered include solid-area scan conversion, painting, interactive techniques and the design of raster graphics systems. The major omission in this section (and elsewhere in the book) is a discussion of colour. Sections five and six are concerned with more advanced techniques: section five with geometric modelling, hidden-surface elimination and the rendering of three-dimensional objects and section six with high-performance display systems, device-independent graphics, and the user interface.
The authors themselves were responsible for typesetting the book using the excellent text manipulation and page make-up systems at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center. Not only is the print quality of the highest but the speed of production has meant that the book, published in 1979, contains an extensive and up-to-date bibliography. The book, in the reviewer's experience, is an excellent text for a final-year undergraduate graphics course and for courses at graduate level. Moreover it is an essential purchase for all involved in the implementation or use of computer graphics techniques. The paperback edition, where available, is a bargain buy.
A R Forrest, University of East A nglia, Norwich, UK
Animation and graphics Computers for imagemaking, David R Clark (ed) Published for the British Universities Film Council L td by Pergamon Press (1981) 156 pp, £6.00 and £12.00 One of the most exciting aspects of the development of computer usage over the last few years has been the considerable growth in computer-aided animation. About 20 per cent of all advertisements and station identification symbols on USA television and a smaller, but rapidly growing, percentage of U K film and television titles and ads are now produced using computer techniques. Films such as
Star wars, The empire strikes back and Alien feature computer graphics as important elements in their storylines and many UK TV documentary programmes such as election broadcasts, Open University lectures and the BBC Money Programme have computer-produced animations or captions as a matter of course. Because of the fast-changing nature of this burgeoning subject, up-to-date books on computer animation are hard to come by, so Computers for imagemaking is a welcome addition to the
230
field. Consisting of a compilation of 8 papers by various practitioners, the book covers such subjects as perception, hardware generally, the graphics facilities of particular organizations, and the use of computer graphics in teaching and visualization. All the papers are of a high standard, full of practical details, hints and insights but two alone, those forming the first and last chapters of the book, make it worth a place on anyone's bookshelf. The first, an introductory paper on technical foundations by the book's editor, David Clark, is a model of its kind, cogently setting out the background information necessary for anyone who wishes to understand the
use of computers as a graphics medium. Clark's description of the technicalities of colour display is especially good. The final chapter by Ken Knowlton, a pioneer in the creative use of computers, deals with computer animation as an aid to comprehending the universe (no less!) and is brilliant. It rounds out an excellent book in a most imaginative way. It is rare that one can unreservedly recommend a book but this is such an occasion. The work is well-illustrated and produced (though colour would have been welcome). I found only one error .... what a pity it was in the spelling of my name.
John Lansdown, Turner Lansdown Holt and Paterson, London
Database images 'Lecture notes in computer science: database techniques for pictorial applications', G Goos and ] Hartmanis (eds), Springer Verlag (I 980) DM 59, $34.90 What can one say about a book that is a collection of papers from a meet-
ing that was held under the sponsorship of IBM? You cannot comment about the individual authors: there are too many of them. Some of them have writing styles that are extremely readable and thoughts that provoke even more thoughts. Others must be waded through. Some of the thoughts
computer-aided design
from the point of view of available hardware, input techniques, and system-level event handling. The fourth section, on raster graphics, has been mentioned earlier, and constitutes the best available text on this rapidly expanding area. Topics covered include solid-area scan conversion, painting, interactive techniques and the design of raster graphics systems. The major omission in this section (and elsewhere in the book) is a discussion of colour. Sections five and six are concerned with more advanced techniques: section five with geometric modelling, hidden-surface elimination and the rendering of three-dimensional objects and section six with high-performance display systems, device-independent graphics, and the user interface.
The authors themselves were responsible for typesetting the book using the excellent text manipulation and page make-up systems at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center. Not only is the print quality of the highest but the speed of production has meant that the book, published in 1979, contains an extensive and up-to-date bibliography. The book, in the reviewer's experience, is an excellent text for a final-year undergraduate graphics course and for courses at graduate level. Moreover it is an essential purchase for all involved in the implementation or use of computer graphics techniques. The paperback edition, where available, is a bargain buy.
A R Forrest, University of East A nglia, Norwich, UK
Animation and graphics Computers for imagemaking, David R Clark (ed) Published for the British Universities Film Council L td by Pergamon Press (1981) 156 pp, £6.00 and £12.00 One of the most exciting aspects of the development of computer usage over the last few years has been the considerable growth in computer-aided animation. About 20 per cent of all advertisements and station identification symbols on USA television and a smaller, but rapidly growing, percentage of U K film and television titles and ads are now produced using computer techniques. Films such as
Star wars, The empire strikes back and Alien feature computer graphics as important elements in their storylines and many UK TV documentary programmes such as election broadcasts, Open University lectures and the BBC Money Programme have computer-produced animations or captions as a matter of course. Because of the fast-changing nature of this burgeoning subject, up-to-date books on computer animation are hard to come by, so Computers for imagemaking is a welcome addition to the
230
field. Consisting of a compilation of 8 papers by various practitioners, the book covers such subjects as perception, hardware generally, the graphics facilities of particular organizations, and the use of computer graphics in teaching and visualization. All the papers are of a high standard, full of practical details, hints and insights but two alone, those forming the first and last chapters of the book, make it worth a place on anyone's bookshelf. The first, an introductory paper on technical foundations by the book's editor, David Clark, is a model of its kind, cogently setting out the background information necessary for anyone who wishes to understand the
use of computers as a graphics medium. Clark's description of the technicalities of colour display is especially good. The final chapter by Ken Knowlton, a pioneer in the creative use of computers, deals with computer animation as an aid to comprehending the universe (no less!) and is brilliant. It rounds out an excellent book in a most imaginative way. It is rare that one can unreservedly recommend a book but this is such an occasion. The work is well-illustrated and produced (though colour would have been welcome). I found only one error .... what a pity it was in the spelling of my name.
John Lansdown, Turner Lansdown Holt and Paterson, London
Database images 'Lecture notes in computer science: database techniques for pictorial applications', G Goos and ] Hartmanis (eds), Springer Verlag (I 980) DM 59, $34.90 What can one say about a book that is a collection of papers from a meet-
ing that was held under the sponsorship of IBM? You cannot comment about the individual authors: there are too many of them. Some of them have writing styles that are extremely readable and thoughts that provoke even more thoughts. Others must be waded through. Some of the thoughts
computer-aided design