C omputers have become a powerful tool for the rapid and economical production
of pictures. There is virtually no area in which graphical displays
cannot be used to some advantage, and so it is not surprising to find the use of
computer graphics so widespread. Although early applications in engineering
and science had to rely on expensive and cumbersome equipment, advances in
computer technology have made interactive computer graphics a practical tool.
Today, we find computer graphics used routinely in such diverse areas as science,
engineering, medicine, business, industry, government, art, entertainment, advertising,
education, and training. Figure 1-1 summarizes the many applications
of graphics in simulations, education, and graph presentations. Before we get
into the details of how to do computer graphics, we first take a short tour
through a gallery of graphics applications.