[comp.graphics.visualization] MOVIE.BYU

yeidel@wsuvm1.csc.wsu.edu (Joshua Yeidel) (03/09/91)

In article <38945@netnews.upenn.edu> joe@retina.anatomy.upenn.edu (Joseph
Panico) writes:
>Newsgroups: comp.graphics.visualization
>Subject: MOVIE.BYU
...
in MOVIE.BYU format. Where can I get MOVIE.BYU and the data formats for
>both MOVIE.BYU and Wavefront's personal visualizer?
>
>                           Joe Panico
>                           joe@retina.anatomy.upenn.edu
...
MOVIE.BYU is available from:
Janine Cooper
Engineering Computer Graphics Laboratory
368 Clyde Building,
Brigham Young University
Provo, Utah 84602 USA
Phone: (801) 378-2812
FAX: (801) 378-2478

I just got the brochure and was disappointed to learn that BYU is charging
$1000 to academic institutions for the program with TEK and generic drivers,
plus $100 for each additional device driver.  The program ships as FORTRAN77
source.
*** Joshua Yeidel                  *** Phone:   509/335-0441
*** Academic Computing Services    *** Fax:     509/335-0540
*** Washington State University    *** BITNET:  YEIDEL@WSUVM1
*** Pullman, WA 99164-1226         *** Internet: yeidel@wsuvm1.csc.wsu.edu
*** I'm speaking for myself here, not Washington State University. ***

annala@neuro.usc.edu (A J Annala) (03/09/91)

>I just got the brochure and was disappointed to learn that BYU is charging
>$1000 to academic institutions for the program with TEK and generic drivers,
>plus $100 for each additional device driver.  The program ships as FORTRAN77
>source.

In the first place, SDSC's synu program was written by my friend Brandyn Webb.
Brandyn's name appears without any mention of Dave Hessler on the original
synu source code and original synu user distribution documentation and report.
Byandyn left SDSC for greener pastures soon after finishing the first version 
of the synu package.  Dave Hessler may have improved on the original synu code
but the name, concepts, and original execution were generated by Brandyn.  

In the second place, MOVIE.BYU is an ancient polygon rendering package which 
is severely lacking in data management and rendering capabilities.  Why anyone
would pay anything approaching $1,000 for this code is beyond me.  You would
be much better off getting a copy of BRLCAD (anonymous ftp for ordering info 
from vgr.brl.mil).  BRLCAD is much better suited for the neuronal data base
management and rendering application described in your original posting on
this subject.  BRLCAD can produce 2D & 3D color line drawings and beautiful
3D renderings of your dendritic arborization data.

Alexander James Annala
Neurosience Image Analysis Center
HEDCO Neuroscience Building, Room 226
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA 90089-2520