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From: rap2@vuse.vanderbilt.edu (Alan Peters)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics
Subject: Paint programs, 3D object model editors / interactive generators
Summary: Doesn't any one use these?
Message-ID: <1991Jun30.163437.23037@vuse.vanderbilt.edu>
Date: 30 Jun 91 16:34:37 GMT
References: <1991Jun27.184538.6963@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> <1991Jun28.095138.3617@cc.tut.fi> <15985@exodus.Eng.Sun.COM>
Sender: news@vuse.vanderbilt.edu
Organization: Vanderbilt University School of Engineering, Nashville, TN, USA
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I posted this message a week or so ago and got no responses. I am posting again
in hopes someone will help me.
I must acquire the following software for our imaging lab. I have looked for
and found no reviews. I will not buy a software package on the basis of 
publishers claims alone.
If any one in this group uses either a paint program or a 3D object modeler
on a sun workstation would you kindly respond? 
E.G.: "We use FooPaint by RetroSoft and find it quite good." (OR unacceptable
or whatever.)

1. A paint program -- We need a pixel-oriented program 
    (like Deluxe Paint for the Amiga) that permits image compositing and 
    touchup as well as from-scratch drawings. (Surely the lowly Amiga does
	not have better software of this type than the mighty sparcstation!)

2. A 3D object editor -- We need a program that will allow interactive
    creation of 3D objects to be rendered using sunvision. Sunvision itself
    has no such editor. There are a number of these available for the Amiga
    e.g. Impulse's Imagine or NewTek's LightWave 3D. We need something 
    similar to this for a sparcstation. Sunvision has a renderman interface
    so an object editor that creates renderman output would work.
	(Are all the fantastic 3D pictures that I have seen created by typing
	in lists of numbers?)

Q: What programs are available either commercially or for free distribution?
     Who are the distributors? What are the prices?

Q: Which of the above are the best? Are there lists of functionalites available?
    Are there reviews available? 

If anyone is so good as to reply I will post a summary to this group.

Thank-you

Alan Peters
Asst. Prof. of Electrical Engineering
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN 37235
(615) 322-7924
rap2@vuse.vanderbilt.edu