Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Code or not

Code has been the topic of several posts. Usually, it pertained to issues, such as content vs configuration management (from the 2014 time frame). The point? If one is doing work and the computer is the tool and assistance, then one needs to control reconfigs. That is, the producer of the system ought not come in and monkey with your process.

Yes, it's a control issue (see Stallman on this). Too, if the computer is driving things, then you have to follow. But, software people do not do this. However, they are not known for a good process, either.

Three years ago, I redid a website using only HTML/CSS. Why? It was familiar; too, I could control everything. And, it was minimal. The idea was to build upon this. I started with Microsoft's OfficeLive, but it was cut. I looked at a bunch of alternatives. None stood out.

Besides, in just a few days, I saw lots of hacking. What's with that? So, I went with not-so-simple HTML/CSS. Mind you, these things continually progress.

Want to know what CSS can do? A lot. Basically, it is parameterized code. This page shows three examples. #1 is a cut from MS OfficeLive. #2 deals with CSS (banner.js). That is, the objects are drawn and clipped (then I cut to an image file for ease). Now, #3 uses JavaScripting to do the same image.

I need to reconfigure to allow more interaction. And, so, need to bite the bullet. That example got me back into things. It basically writes on a 2D canvas.

But, I just went and looked at 3D and found this by Jeremy Heleine. Nice.
It is a trip down memory lane. I was doing 30+ years ago with a Lisp Machine (What is a lisp machine and what is so great about them?, actually, wrote my own perspective handler). Ten years later, I was using a top-notch CAD/CAE system, around which we wrapped Lisp for Knowledge Based Engineering. Ten years after that, I was doing this with Python (as it was interpretative and mimiced Lisp, somewhat).

Essentially, I dealt with geometric modeling with regard to massively detailed products that supported decisions related to design, analysis, and the whole gamut of build and maintain.

Remarks: Modified: 04/27/2017

04/27/2017 -- Further on the issues: self determination.