Jon Peddie’s new book, “The History of Visual Magic in Computers”, chronicles the history of CAD and computer graphics from the cold way to today. Written as a narrative with plenty of references, the 448 page book covers such famous companies as SGI and Apple, down to now-vanquished giants like DEC and Alpha.
Written in a narrative style with ample references for those who want to dig deeper, The History of Visual Magic in Computers traces the earliest understanding of 3D and then foundational mathematics to explain and construct 3D; from mechanical computers up to tablets. Several of the amazing computer graphics (CG) algorithms and tricks came in of periods where eruptions of new ideas and techniques seem to occur all at once, and stimulated by the cold war. With fundamentals of how to draw lines and create realistic images better understood, applications emerged. That led to hardware 3D controllers that drive the display all the way to stereovision, virtual and augmented reality. This book is a treat and has some amazing images in it.
Get the full announcement after the break, or just go order the book on Amazon today for $35 ($20 for e-book).
The History of Visual Magic in Computers Book Now Available
New Book Explains How Beautiful Images are Made in CAD, 3D, VR and AR
TIBURON, CA – JUNE XX, 2013—Anyone who has ever looked at a fantastic adventure or science fiction movie, or an amazingly complex and rich computer game, or a TV commercial where cars or gas pumps or biscuits behaved liked people, and wondered, “How do they do that”? can now satisfy their curiosity: The History of Visual Magic in Computers by distinguished computer graphics analyst, Dr. Jon Peddie, is now available. The 448-page book includes 369 illustrations, 226 in color.
From the Cold War to the Movies
“The cold war was the catalyst for it all. However, it was difficult to write this book because it is impossible to trace a single line of development to generating beautiful realistic images with a computer,” said author, Dr. Jon Peddie. “There is the computer itself, the basic math, the display and its controller, and the software algorithms used to generate curves and textures, and the applications that tie it all together.”Computer graphics is used in so many places, automotive design, movies, architecture, games, molecular design, and simulation/visualization of imaginary worlds and atomic bombs. “In tracing these wondrous and exciting discoveries, I had to delve into seemingly obscure items and events because although they were not directly representations of the use of 3D they laid the foundation for the development of using 3D in computers,” said Dr. Peddie.
Graphics Technology Combines Art and Science to Fool the Eye and Brain
3D in computers began as a way to represent automotive designs and illustrate the construction of molecules. 3D graphics use evolved to visualizations of simulated data and artistic representations of imaginary worlds.In order to overcome the processing limitations of the computer, graphics had to exploit the characteristics of the eye and brain, and develop visual tricks to simulate realism. The goal is to create graphics images that will automatically overcome the visual cues that create and cause disbelief that tells the viewer this is not real.
“Thousands of people over thousands of years have developed the building blocks and made the discoveries in mathematics and science to make such 3D magic possible,” said Dr. Peddie. “This book is dedicated to all of them and tells a little of their story.”
It Started with the Pyramids
Dr. Jon Peddie, renowned industry analyst and lecturer who has been at the forefront of the computer graphics industry has chronicled the developments that have led to these wonderful images. They are all based on 3D geometry and he begins the story with the first major 3D implementations—the pyramids, and ends with tablets, 3D movies, and mobile games.The History of Visual Magic in Computers traces the developments of DEC, Burroughs, SGI, and dozens of others, and how the technology from those companies found its way to AMD, Apple, HP, Intel, Microsoft, Nvidia, Qualcomm, and Sony to mention a few.
Written in a narrative style with ample references for those who want to dig deeper, The History of Visual Magic in Computers traces the earliest understanding of 3D and then foundational mathematics to explain and construct 3D; from mechanical computers up to tablets. Several of the amazing computer graphics (CG) algorithms and tricks came in of periods where eruptions of new ideas and techniques seem to occur all at once, and stimulated by the cold war. With fundamentals of how to draw lines and create realistic images better understood, applications emerged. That led to hardware 3D controllers that drive the display all the way to stereovision, virtual and augmented reality. This book is a treat and has some amazing images in it.
