Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!mailrus!ames!pioneer!eugene
From: eugene@pioneer.arpa (Eugene N. Miya)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics
Subject: Re: Scientific visualization
Message-ID: <11142@ames.arc.nasa.gov>
Date: 1 Jul 88 18:30:59 GMT
References: <10763@ames.arc.nasa.gov> <1181@nucleus.UUCP> <13973@shemp.CS.UCLA.EDU> <5800@venera.isi.edu>
Sender: usenet@ames.arc.nasa.gov
Reply-To: eugene@pioneer.UUCP (Eugene N. Miya)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
Lines: 44

In article <5800@venera.isi.edu> raveling@vaxa.isi.edu (Paul Raveling) writes:
>	There's a genuine need for visualization tools and techniques.
I don't disagree with the need.
>>I said:
>>    >too much marketing hype on "scientific visualization."  ...
>>
>>hacker@nucleus.UUCP (Thomas Hacker, ACM) writes:
>>    >     I disagree with you.  Scientific Visualization
>>    >  is a potentially important tool ...
>>
>>I agree 100% with Eugene Miya.  The hype will eventually hurt ...
>
>	I agree 100% with Thomas Hacker.  I've just spent a LOT
>	of time mucking with image fidelity measurements, wishing
>	for a good 4-D graph, trying various alternatives, looking
>	for tools and techniques that aren't obvious at all.
>	And this is simple in comparison with many other problems
>	begging for scientific visualization.

No one disagrees with the use of the tool, the problem is the hype.
People are creating tools in search of problems.  I finished a 3rd
re-reading of the CG Sci-Vi report (for use at work as well as the net).
You said a key word "measurements."  That's fine, but practically
all tools to date are simply viewing tools, that's stupid (bit harsh,
okay dumb).  Anyway, give me a couple of more hours and I will
polish up what's I'm composing on aurora.

The problem is people who program or design systems who don't understand
the process of scientific observation.  I only learned some of this
stuff in grad school years ago.  Computer people make poor empirical
scientists.

BTW I know half of that committee, one's 2 doors away, Bob's up in the
city, Blinn doesn't read net news, etc.  If you don't see something in
24-hours, then next Wednesday after I get back from climbing in Oregon
because I threw my hands up in disgust at work.....

Another gross generalization from

--eugene miya, NASA Ames Research Center, eugene@aurora.arc.nasa.gov
  resident cynic at the Rock of Ages Home for Retired Hackers:
  "Mailers?! HA!", "If my mail does not reach you, please accept my apology."
  {uunet,hplabs,ncar,decwrl,allegra,tektronix}!ames!aurora!eugene
  "Send mail, avoid follow-ups.  If enough, I'll summarize."