From: rwallace@Athena.MIT.EDU
Message-Id: <9307212327.AA16589@m66-080-14>
To: rdshydur@Athena.MIT.EDU
Cc: zinky@Athena.MIT.EDU, jpbonsen@Athena.MIT.EDU
Subject: graphics in MOO 3
Date: Wed, 21 Jul 93 19:27:56 EDT


------- Forwarded Message

From: hpa@ahab.eecs.nwu.edu (H. Peter Anvin N9ITP)
Message-Id: <9307211916.AA06248@ahab.eecs.nwu.edu>
Subject: Re: Graphics in MOO?
To: moo-cows@parc.xerox.com (MOO-Cows mailing list)
Date: 	Wed, 21 Jul 1993 13:16:50 PDT
Reply-To: hpa@nwu.edu (H. Peter Anvin)
     

I am hacking slightly on a high-level graphic BBS/MUD client, but I am
not giving any guarantees on ever completing it.  I am at least trying
to keep it simple, based on the assumption that if it is too complex,
noone will use it.

I think it is crucial to keep the protocol high-level and brief, in
order to conserve bandwidth... considering the type of machines most
people use today, it is not that big of a deal to use a high-level
protocol that puts the bulk of the rendering burden on the client.

My current thinking is that at least the original version will only
support 640x480 resolution in 16 colours... that way the problem on
client screen size becomes less.  The screen resolution 640x480 is
nice because both PC's (VGA) and Macs (except the compact ones which
mostly are B/W and the small 512x384 LC screen) can handle it, and it
makes a nice-sized X-window on most X screens.

	/hpa

> 
> > 
> > I was wondering if anyone had, or was in the stages of doing or
> > considering beginning, adding graphics to MOO?
> 
> curiously enough, adding graphics support to a server (like Moo) is fairly
> easy ... it's just another type of data that you have to deal with
> manipulating 
> 
> the problem comes in the clients ... to do something like what you envision,
> someone will have to sit down and write _AT_LEAST_ two clients (x-windows and
> msdos with modem) plus a decent editing environment to make the images in
> the first place.
> they will have to deal with calibrating colors and resolutions between
> platforms, plus deal with the different communications and graphics
> mechanisms 
> underlying the client.
> 


- -- 
INTERNET: hpa@nwu.edu       FINGER/TALK: hpa@ahab.eecs.nwu.edu
IBM MAIL: 36073 at IBMX400  NeXTMAIL:    hpa@speedy.acns.nwu.edu
ANMDRKNING: Heja Sverige friskt humvr!  EG vdntar utanfvr!
#include <sigvirus.h>


------- End of Forwarded Message