hsg@duke.cs.duke.edu (Henry Greenside) (04/24/87)
Several people have sent me mail, asking me to post replies about
alternatives to DISSPLA. I am forwarding the following message that
I got from LLNL, which summarizes most of the replies I got. People
should also check out the new NCAR (National Center for Atmospheric
Research) graphics library that is currently being released for VMS
systems, and will be released for generic systems later this summer.
NCAR can be reached at 303-497-1000. This package is suppose to be
a much improved color version of their older package, and is supposed
to adopt many ANSI graphics standards (however useful that is).
From pom%under.s1.gov@mordor.s1.gov Thu Apr 23 19:00:57 1987
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Date: Thu, 23 Apr 87 15:37:46 PDT
From: pom%under.s1.gov@mordor.s1.gov
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To: hsg@duke.cs.duke.edu
Status: R
Re: Disspla alternatives
Displa is very ugly (the lib, not the pictures) and I would
not enjoy using it - even if it would be reasonably priced.
About 3years ago NASA/Ames run formal evaluation of about 15 packages
for purpose similar to yours (Cray to flow visualisation) and selected
DI3000 (of Precision Visuals in Boulder Colorado) as replacement for
DISSPLA.
It is not great either, bur ceirtainly better than Disspla.
(Its slow! and somewhat reminiscent of CORE).
From newer offerings you may look-at HOOPS of the Flying Moose
( I did not used this this one - but from documentation it looks better
then DI3000 - (but comp is less established) - call Gary Wayne
at 607-273-3690 or moose%cadif-oak@cu-arpa ))
Let me know what you think of the solution you will find.
PS. I myself have decided to try BRLs SolidModellingPackage - and my
tape is on the way - so ask me next month how good it is
(the price/functionality is ok - package is free) in terms of capabilities.
Good luck
Peter / LLNL /physics dept.