Literate Programming, Axiom, and Physically Based Rendering

Tim Daly <[email protected]> Fri, 31 Mar 2023 22:21:55 -0400
Newsgroups gmane.comp.mathematics.axiom.devel
Message-ID <CAJn5L=+oLFuUYH4=cyRfX1QDP4e8jQPzYRzGFEMf+aNF6HdQeQ@mail.gmail.com>
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I just received the 4th edition copy of Physically Based Rendering[0].
Donald Knuth wrote "This book has deservedly won an Academy Award.
I believe it should also be nominated for a Pulitzer Prize."

It is a 1200 page literate program. It not only contains the actual
source code, it contains complete explanations of the physical theory
and the implementation ideas. This textbook is used in a various
upper-class and graduate programs. I can highly recommend it.

I had hoped that Axiom could have been reborn as a literate program.
The idea was to "make it live beyond the authors". Each algorithm
would provide an explanation, various literature references, and some
examples as well as limitations. That way a person with no background
knowledge in computer algebra could learn and contribute. Such a
literate program would have set the standard for mathematical software.

Sadly that's not going to happen.

Tim

[0] Matt Pharr, Wenzel Jakob, and Greg Humphreys "Physically Based
Rendering"
https://www.pbr-book.org/

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div>I just received the 4th edition copy of Physically Ba=
sed Rendering[0].</div><div>Donald Knuth wrote &quot;This book has deserved=
ly won an Academy Award.</div><div>I believe it should also be nominated fo=
r a Pulitzer Prize.&quot;</div><div><br></div><div>It is a 1200 page litera=
te program. It not only contains the actual</div><div>source code, it conta=
ins complete explanations of the physical theory</div><div>and the implemen=
tation ideas. This textbook is used in a various</div><div>upper-class and =
graduate programs. I can highly recommend it.<br></div><div><br></div><div>=
I had hoped that Axiom could have been reborn as a literate program.</div><=
div>The idea was to &quot;make it live beyond the authors&quot;. Each algor=
ithm</div><div>would provide an explanation, various literature references,=
 and some</div><div>examples as well as limitations. That way a person with=
 no background</div><div>knowledge in computer algebra could learn and cont=
ribute. Such a</div><div>literate program would have set the standard for m=
athematical software.<br></div><div><br></div><div>Sadly that&#39;s not goi=
ng to happen.</div><div><br></div><div>Tim</div><div><br></div><div>[0] Mat=
t Pharr, Wenzel Jakob, and Greg Humphreys &quot;Physically Based Rendering&=
quot;</div><div><a href=3D"https://www.pbr-book.org/">https://www.pbr-book.=
org/</a></div><div><br></div></div>

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