Re: JPS Windows only Club or Vendor only Club

[P3D Larry Berlin <lberlin@xxxxxxxxx>]

>Date: Sat, 19 Jul 1997
>From: P3D Jonathan Gross  Comments:
>>(Regarding JPS)
>>   Unfortunately this is a "Windows" only club. :(
>............
>You can open up JPS file with JPEG viewers, if you can get at the files!
>Unfortunately, VRex has chosen to post the images imbeded into HTML
>files in a way that makes them hard to get at.

*****  I strongly disagree with this assessment. HTML files are an easy way
to access images of any type. ESPECIALLY on the Internet!!! It seems
extremely appropriate!!!

>
>I agree with the original comments;  Why post in JPS when you could post
>side-by-sides which you could could input into any viewing program,
>including VRex's.  Makes me wonder why they are trying to promote it as
>yet-another "in the best interest of the public" "standard".
>

*****  Give it a bit of thought before jumping off the bridge. There are
programming advantages in using a specific extension associated with the
special dispaly parameters of a stereo image. Those special parameters DON'T
mean you need some strange and incomprehensible file format that never
existed before.  JPG is familiar and software all over the place uses it.
The special stereo designation gives software writers the ability to handly
stereo images in unique ways, AND be able to do so with a standard file
type, without confusion or other technical barriers.

Now, if you want to criticize MicroSoft for their methods that make a
special extension needed, then I can join your criticism. However, since
that's more like saying, *the sun rises each morning*, we won't get very
far. It IS in the best interests of the public, and anyone trying to sell
stereo related equipment, which included you, Jon, last time I checked, to
have an open stereo image standard that has the potential for easy
widespread usage. You can write your own special software for JPS files too.
No licensing or other hassles. Just do it.

In an environment like the internet where the largest percentage of image
files are non-stereo JPEG, it's handy to be able to separately handle the
special ones that are stereo, automatically. This standard is still new, so
there are relatively few specialized software programs that use it. However
it's so easy to use, that will change. That's the whole point.

If you wish to criticize file types, we could get to talking about the NEO
file type which is inaccessible to anyone other than your specific
customers. Now that's worth criticizing. ;-) Despite it's obvious good
points, it's a totally restricted members-only kind of club. Doesn't do the
*public* much good at all!

If you read the other posts on this topic you will find that those using
MACs or other computers have been able to access the images because they are
only JPG images. Anyone can write special applications for this standard so
that other computers make special use of these files. That's public benefit.
And it didn't just come from VRex either. VRex was simply smart enough to
see and recognize a good idea. Their idea was to create DepthCharge, which
is a handy program/plug-in that makes use of the file standard. It's a good
example of what can be done with the JPS file type, NOT the ONLY THING that
can be done with it!!! What program are you going to write? What tools would
you like to have for specialized viewing of stereo images? Take your pick or
dream up the ultimate best of everything. If you can think it, the standard
is there waiting to be used further.

Larry Berlin

Email: lberlin@xxxxxxxxx
http://www.sonic.net/~lberlin/
http://3dzine.simplenet.com/


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