[Edu-sig] programming for artists

[Arthur_Siegel@rsmi.com]

Jason writes -

>Among the multimedia Python goodies I recommend:

>-Blender
>-LightFlow
>-PyGame
>-Snack
>-Poser4ProPack

etc.
And -
>Other artist/programmers using Python:
>Disney Imagineering

>Larry Cuba
>http://www.well.com/user/cuba/

I would add significantly, if my understasnding is correct,`
Industrial Light & Magic - sort the THE 3d animation
studio.

A comprehensive list of  multi-media apps - including commerical ones -
using Python in some manner could go on significantly.

The point is that the market is speaking in a clear way by finding 
a significant niche for Python in this kind of work. 

Interestingly, it's all pretty far off to the side of the things happening 
closer 
to the inside of the Python community.  

I think it safe to guess that there are 100 posts to comp.lang.python
related to to Web based technologies for every one related to
multimedia.

All this is mostly random observation.

Except that I am surprised the 'inside' Python community hasn't
better embraced these developments.  A cgi related question on
comp.lang.python will always seem appropriate - a Blender related
one always off-key.

I am unable to even attempt to articulate what it is in the design of Python
that makes it particularly well suited for this kind of work.  But I do very
much believe it is, and the reasons could probably be described in technical
terms by someone more literate in CS than myself.  I believe the easy ability
to form and iterate lists of heterogenous objects is one such language feature

- but
don't really know how distinctive that is among languages.

It is also interesting to note that in a recent interview (I think from IPC9),
Guido mentioned that he was particularly proud/appreciative of 
some of the artistic work done with Python.  

The context led me to conclude he was probably referring to Larry Cuba's work.

The little marketing man in my head says that Python should show off a little 
better in this arena. The standard distribution does not give any real hint
that
Python is a player in the world of multi-media. The facts are it very much is.


I do think that VPython is still the easiest way to show off things a bit, but

understand
the complexities related to the IDLE versions, the necessity for Numeric, etc.

So I do come a bit to a dead end in trying to come to any specific ideas.

ART