P3D Re: C3D (was:Ban everything not specifically 3D?)

[roberts@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (John W Roberts)]

>Date: Mon, 23 Mar 1998 15:52:13 -0700
>From: Bob Wier <wier@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: P3D C3D (was:Ban everything not specifically 3D?)

>I've been considering over the past few days whether to start
>a sub list to join T3D (the technical 3d list which frequently
>contains relatively high powered discussions of optics and neural
>aspects of true3d) and S3D (for selling things). Tentatively this
>might be C3D (for discussions related to true3d in the computer realm).
>...
>Pros: Since a number of people here are more photography than computer
>oriented, it would tolerate a greater level of computer related discussion...
>than is comfortable in photo-3d (ie, disk storage issues would be ok
>...
>Cons: There is the prospect of excessive "Balkanization"...
>...
>I intensely dislike meta-discussions, so I'd like to throw this open 
>for a couple of days, and then return to photo-3d traditional topics.

An intriguing idea and a generous offer. However, I'm inclined to favor
not creating C3D *at present*, for the following (somewhat selfish) reasons:

 - The way P3D is set up now, there's a certain amount of discussion of
computer issues, but if it builds up above a certain rate, people start to
complain, and it (eventually) tapers off. By reading P3D, I get exposure to
a limited amount of computer 3D stuff, enough to keep track of what's new,
and get a general idea of how to do 3D things on a computer. If C3D is created
and I don't subscribe, that moderate flow of computer information on P3D
will be cut off and I won't know much about what's going on in computer 3D.

 - If the C3D list is created, it will provide the nucleus for explosive
growth in postings on computer 3D topics. So if I *do* subscribe, I'll be
flooded with computer 3D stuff, and the total amount of 3D mail I get a day
might conceivably double. A large part of the C3D mail will be long discussions
on how to configure $10000 rendering programs that I can't afford. :-)
(And for which specialized discussion groups already exist elsewhere.)

 - The creation of C3D would mainly benefit those who want no computer
discussion at all, and those who want a *lot* more computer discussion, and
I don't fit in either of those categories. :-)

 - I think the idea of "Balkanization" is a serious concern for P3D. S3D
and T3D are really more of a functional or procedural split than a split
in topics, while C3D would be a real split in topics. Chopping out computer
subjects might cause other peripheral topics to be chopped out of P3D, and
dropped. For example, the way the list is now, a person planning to buy
equipment to take hyperstereo photos might ask a question about a good tripod
to buy, and a brief discussion could provide some ideas. With a split, that
person might be concerned that tripods are not a proper "specifically 3D"
topic.

 - These preferences are based on the current long-term average rate of
computer topic postings on P3D. If the long-term average were to get
significantly higher, there would be a clearer need for C3D, despite the
"cons".

[Two whimsical suggestions for new lists:
 - M3D: A list just for 3D mailing list meta-discussions.
 - PA3D: "Para-3D" - a list for subjects that are "sort of 3D-related".
:-) ]

John R


------------------------------

End of PHOTO-3D Digest 2642
***************************