[comp.lang.idl-pvwave] Relative Speed of PV~WAVE to IDL?

ekase@pvi.UUCP (Ed Kase) (08/21/90)

I'd like to try to clarify a recent question raised by Mr. Mike Plonski
of Aerospace Corp. in this newsgroup.

PV~WAVE is not a shell that sits on top of IDL.  IDL is a language that
uses a very fast interpreter to let a user graphically interpret and
analyze data.  PV~WAVE has commands that are a superset of IDL.  PV~WAVE
uses the same core product (interpreter, etc.), unmodified, and adds a
wide variety of functionality to the surrounding environment.  This
added-value includes floating licensing, additional hardcopy device
drivers,  much faster external process data communication, user
interface development tools (WAVE:Widgets), converters to help users
take procedures from the "old" PV~WAVE (VMS IDL) to the new version, etc.
Because they are the same base product, there is no performance difference
between PV~WAVE and IDL.  If one runs the older VMS version, there are a
notable performance and functionality differences between "old" WAVE and
the "new" WAVE (as there would be between "old" VMS IDL and "new" IDL).
If one runs PV~WAVE (or IDL) on two different computer systems with
some difference in their configurations (O/S version, memory, etc.),
there are likely to be performance differences as well.

For more details on any of these items, please refer to Peter Hallett's
posting from August 3 or contact him at PVI at (303)530-9000 or
boulder!pvi!mpfh.

-- 
-- I've had fun before.  This isn't it... --
Ed Kase
303-530-9000 x 211
Precision Visuals, Inc.                 {boulder, ncar}!pvi!ekase