Jordan Green (jordan++at++macmail.coryphaeus.com)
17 Aug 1995 22:44:00 -0800
The value of the Designer's Workbench(tm) file format is not only its public
domain freedom for the user but, the fact that the format is the closest
thing you can get to a Performer scenegraph without actually being in
Performer. So if real-time graphics is the issue and Performer is the vehicle
then the DWB format maximises performance.
Maximising performance means DWB can support more complex databases than
other formats such as .flt, which have benchmarked as 30%, or more slower
than DWB. The issue here is to appreciate that Performer is designed to
facilitate optimal performance (hence the name) of the best 3D real-time open
system graphics platforms in the world. Why consider reducing that benefit by
using a less than optimal database format?
I invite Ravi (and anyone else) to consider adding DWB output capability to
his tools so that those of his users interested in real-time can have the
performance benefits available from Performer apps like EasyScene. Major
players in the SGI based world of VisSim have already chosen to support the
DWB format as their first preference because of its performance benefits, as
well as the portability derived from its truly open status.
Performance is an issue the whole industry must consider because that is
where the customers will go for their business. SGI is doing a superb job
delivering hardware and software toolkits to maximise the fundamentals. If
real-time software developers share a common open format such as DWB then we
can all contribute to, and benefit from, the more rapid advancement of
performance.
Competition in an open systems environment pushes the envelope further and
faster than any one company or organisation can do alone. Ultimately, this
benefits every one in the food chain except those vendors (and their
unfortunate customers) who believe in proprietary systems and the restrictive
trade practices that such vendors must impose on their customers.
This type of competition also benefits the users by driving down the price of
the products and demanding the vendors offer clear advantages in the
technology that adds value to the common base. This is the reason that
Coryphaeus and other open companies are able to deliver superior products at
lower prices while enjoying rapid growth.
Certainly we are all in business to make money but, to sustain long term
business growth in today's world being open is a fundamental prerequisite.
Has anyone seen the "proprietary kings" of yesterday standing on top of the
heap lately??
Just some food for thought as we ponder the wonders of last week's SIGGRAPH.
Regards,
Jordan
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