Re: Suggestions on graphics references?
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg6778] Re: [mg6666] Suggestions on graphics references?
- From: David Elbert <elbert at jhu.edu>
- Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 02:37:47 -0400 (EDT)
- Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com
> I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts concerning the utility of
>some of the Mathematica graphics reference books on the market. Two of them
>have caught my eye lately: the one by Wickham-Jones ("Mathematica
>Graphics"), and the one by Smith and Blachman ("Mathematica Graphics
>Guidebook").
I wrote a comparative review of these two books for the now (tragically)
defunct Mathematica Journal. It's in vol. 5, issue 3 (Summer 1995), pages
20-23, if anyone cares to look. My bottom line was that both of these
books should be on the shelf of any serious Mma user, but they have quite
different approaches and merits. Smith and Blachman's book is an excellent
tutorial that focuses on understanding graphics production. It also stands
out for anticipating the reader's learning curve. Wickham-Jones' book is
more of a reference volume, with extensive examples. If you love the way
the way Wolfram's Book is written, you will love Wickham-Jones' book... if
you don't, you won't.
Some of the best "coolest" stuff in Smith and Blachman's book concerns
unexpected behavior of graphics in Mma. A bit of that is now out of date
(with version 3), but lots of it really helps when things go awry.
If I could only have one of these books, it would be Smith and
Blachman's... but that is a tough call.
David Elbert
elbert at jhu.edu