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From: jch@Stardent.COM (Jan Hardenbergh)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics
Subject: Re: Graphics Standards? (PHIGS books)
Message-ID: <1991Feb12.192753.3647@Stardent.COM>
Date: 12 Feb 91 19:27:53 GMT
Organization: Stardent Computer, Concord MA
Lines: 66


> From: cazier@mbunix.mitre.org (Cazier)
> 
> Following the federal Applications Portability Profile recommendations,
> which of the following standards fit what types of software products:
> 
> GKS
> CGM
> PHIGS
> IGES
> 
> Where would an item like TIFF fit?

CGM has some bitmap facilities.

> Any known source of info about the good, bad, and ugly nature of any of the
> above mentioned "standards"?

GKS - Graphical Kernal System - geometric graphics system
CGM - Computer Graphics Metafile - archive of graphics commands - very
      useful for plotting.
PHIGS - the best graphics standard!  3D geometric graphics with lighting
      and shading and neat primitives to draw fancy pictures.
IGES - Initial Graphics Exchange S(ystem?) - used to exchange CAD databases
      between CAD vendors.  Published by the US Govt.

If you are looking for a broad overview of graphics standards you might
try this:

>   Guidelines for determining when to use GKS and when to use PHIGS
>   Bettels, J.; Bono, P.R.; McGinnis, E.; Rix, J.
>   Author Affil:  Digital Equipment Corp., Geneva, Switzerland
>   Source: Comput. Graph. Forum (Netherlands)  vol.7, no.4,    pp.: 347-54
>   Publication Year: Dec. 1988
>   (29 Refs)
>   Abstract:  GKS,  GKS-3D, and PHIGS are all approved ISO standards for the
> application  programmer  interface.  How  do system analysts or programmers
> decide which standard to use for their application? The authors discuss the
> range  of  application  requirements  likely to be encountered, explore the
> suitability  of  GKS and PHIGS for satisfying these requirements, and offer
> guidelines to aid in the decision process. 

I know I've seen other overviews of graphics standards. Just none recently.

There are a couple of books on CGM and GKS, but I do not have the
references written down.

As, for PHIGS, there are not any books out yet.  You can get the standard
itself from ANSI in New York. (212) 354-3300.  For PHIGS you want 
ANSI X3.144-1988 or ISO 9592.  They will also have the GKS and CGM specs.

There are at least 2 books on PHIGS coming out.  Last year at SIGGRAPH90
both Addison-Wesley and Prentice Hall said they would have books out by
the end of the year...  Prentice Hall now says "very soon".  Addison
Wesley is a little more specific: first week of March in UK and first
week of April in the US. The title will be " A PRACTICAL INTRODUCTION TO
PHIGS and PHIGS PLUS"

I've heard rumors of rumors of two others, but nothing specific.  It
would be great to hear about any others coming out...



-- 
-Jan "YON" Hardenbergh       jch@stardent.com         (508)-371-9810x261
Stardent Computer, 6 N.E. Tech Center, 521 Virginia Rd,Concord, MA 01742