Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!munnari.oz.au!metro!usage.csd.unsw.oz.au!decus!churchill From: churchill@decus.com.au (Jack Churchill) Newsgroups: comp.lang.idl-pvwave Subject: Re: Relationship between IDL and PVWAVE Message-ID: <10758.28246283@decus.com.au> Date: 5 May 91 09:52:35 GMT References: <12802@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu> <1991May3.032845.24972@aero.org> <288@venice.water.ca.gov> <1991May3.165723.28887@nevada.edu> Organization: DECUS, South Pacific Chapter Lines: 71 In article <1991May3.165723.28887@nevada.edu>, ramesh@nevada.edu (RAMESH VISWANATHAN) writes: > In article <288@venice.water.ca.gov> rfinch@caldwr.water.ca.gov (Ralph Finch) writes: >> >>I am frankly not happy with PVI's handling of their version of IDL. >>It costs a lot more than IDL and any significant additions they have >>added, such as Widgets or Point-and-Click, cost yet extra! Besides >>which PVI seems hung up on Sunview interfaces. I'd sure like to see >>some work done with Openwindows. > > > I agree with the consensus that Point-and-Click is neither very exciting > nor convenient for those real programmers who prefer the CLI (command > line interface) but it offers some "user-friendliness" to those who are > easily intimidated by having to learn and memorize commands. We don't have it and the point-&-click method may not be to everyones liking but I find it should save programmer's (my) time in the long run by reducing the number of requests from end-users to write custom/one-off display routines. The end-users can satisfy most of their own (boring) requests when there is a suitable "user-friendly" interface. I can then spend more time on more difficult and interesting problems. > I too think that PVI is getting "a little" greedy in the prices they > are asking for Point-and-Click. Methinks they should have offered it > at much lower prices to existing users of Wave who are on the software > maintenance contracts ;-> . Agree 100%. > > The version of PV Wave I have (3.01) supports the OpenWindows interface. > >>> In IDL's newletter, they also >>>indicate that they are working on a DOS version of IDL and a network >>>floating license. > > Graphics Visualization on a 486 platform??!! Come on, let's get real. > But then again it depends upon you application, I guess. Don't rubbish PC's. They are/will be the necessary driving force to keep other computer companies honest and on the ball. > >>>IDL Ver 2.1 also has a Statistics Package and some >>>mapping and gridding routines also with a simple coastline database. > > I can go for that. Me too. In fact I have used a similar package called Z which already has some S+ features. Also, a new S+ will have more image visualization features. It may make PV~Wave redundant on our site. So, unless PVI get their act together and either re-establish links with IDL or progress along similar directions, we can't see any advantage in staying with PV~Wave or even IDL. I think PV~Wave and IDL should stay together to compete with other products. > >>PVI: are you listening? How about statistics, DOS, and so on? How >>about providing *real* value for all the extra $$$'s your customers >>are paying? How about at *least* telling your customers where you are >>headed, especially with the split that just took place. I would >>really rather hear about these things from you, rather than from the >>Usenet (thank God for the net though). > > Yes, Peter [Hallet]. Are you there!? Yeah! I wish PVI took a few pages out of TGV's (Multinet) book on handling client queries. -- Jack N. Churchill | jack@syd.deg.csiro.au CSIRO Division of Exploration Geoscience | churchill@decus.com.au Remote Sensing Group | Phone: +61 2 887 8884 PO Box 136 North Ryde NSW 2113 | Fax: +61 2 887 8909 Australia | Telex: AA25817