saponara@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu (John Saponara) (11/18/87)
Given the recent interest in public domain databases, I thought I'd point out an interesting source. "netlib" is mostly a library of stuff for numerical analyst people, but has some tidbits worth checking out as far as databases for graphics go. "netlib" is automated to respond to requests sent to it. There are two nodes, one on the arpanet, the other on UUCP. Write to either "netlib@anl-mcs.arpa" or ...!research!netlib. To get general info on the library, type "send index" as a mail message to either site (the sites are about 95%+ identical in the programs carried). One nice library available is "polyhedra". To access it, mail the message "send index from polyhedra". In this library are some 142 polyhedra descriptions (a few of which are slightly buggy - please report these problems to them). Another library is "graphics", which presently contains my SPD package. For more info on the package, see this month's IEEE Computer Graphics & Applications (November 1987), p. 3-5. To get the package, type "send haines from graphics". I posted this package to USENET back in July, by the way - the one on netlib is just a slightly updated version which should work better on PCs. By the way, netlib's automatic mail response software is available on netlib. It would be great to see someone in the graphics community start a netlib-like repository for graphics databases and programs. No reason that the numerical analysts should be the only ones doing this. All for now, Eric Haines (borrowing a friend's account - write to me at hpfcla!hpfcrs!eye!erich@hplabs.HP.COM)