Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!thunder.mcrcim.mcgill.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!spool.mu.edu!sdd.hp.com!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!newstop!exodus!exodus-bb!khb From: khb@chiba.Eng.Sun.COM (Keith Bierman fpgroup) Newsgroups: comp.lang.idl-pvwave,comp.lang.idl Subject: Re: Response to question about PV-WAVE and IDL Message-ID: Date: 20 Feb 91 22:19:57 GMT References: <500@pvi.UUCP> <1991Feb20.195002.3597@csn.org> <1991Feb20.202657.21514@athena.mit.edu> Sender: news@exodus.Eng.Sun.COM Followup-To: comp.lang.idl-pvwave Organization: Sun MegaSystems Lines: 35 In-reply-to: lbreid@athena.mit.edu's message of 20 Feb 91 20:26:57 GMT In article <1991Feb20.202657.21514@athena.mit.edu> lbreid@athena.mit.edu (Lynn B Reid) writes: ... respects. But I'd also like to cast my vote against marketing..... Fine, but the technical issues remain. The PV wave posting was long, and admittedly not very dense (informationwise ;>). I'm not a user of either package; though I've been impressed by demos... from what we've seen posted it appears: 1) basic code from IDL is basis for both products 2) PV has added point and click, and various interface goodies what has IDL done since? Surely their product is not the same as it 'twas years ago when PV forked off, is it? Is the command language kept in synch (viz. is there an ongoing IDL->PV code arrangement)? As I see it, the folks who need these packages the most are practicing scientists and applied mathfolk. Both groups tend to be rather cash poor, and spend all their money on hardware (thankfully; as I do work for one at the moment ;>). Thus, $n000 packages aren't on everyones desk. These people are likely to be choosy about what they do buy, and rightfully so. So the question remains. What are the technical differences (other than point and click front end)? -- ---------------------------------------------------------------- Keith H. Bierman kbierman@Eng.Sun.COM | khb@chiba.Eng.Sun.COM SMI 2550 Garcia 12-33 | (415 336 2648) Mountain View, CA 94043