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From: seibel@cgl.ucsf.edu (George Seibel)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics
Subject: Re: How well does Barnsley's system perform?
Message-ID: <13652@cgl.ucsf.EDU>
Date: 7 Apr 90 22:00:15 GMT
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Sender: daemon@cgl.ucsf.edu
Reply-To: seibel@cgl.ucsf.edu (George Seibel)
Organization: Computer Graphics Lab, UCSF
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In article <35410@brunix.UUCP> cs001005@cslab9c.cs.brown.edu (Thomas Colthurst) writes:
>The thing that disturbs me about Barnsley's claims is not that I don't
>believe that he has something, but that the 'veil of mystery' around his
>system prevents
>me not only from implementing a compression system, but also to doubt
>that any efficient means are possible.  That is, all of the IFS

Now hold on there.  The only thing that Barnsley's secrecy is preventing
you from doing is using HIS ideas and technology without giving him
whatever credit/money/power/prestige that he wants.  There's nothing
preventing you from sitting down for a few decades and figuring it out
on your own.   No one should find this surprising or disturbing; this
isn't science, it's business.  Try calling up Intel and asking them for
the precise details of their latest process.  Their secrecy is, after all,
preventing you from fabbing a few chips :-)

George Seibel, UCSF
seibel@cgl.ucsf.edu