[ODE] Re-inventing the wheel

[Kenneth Holmlund]

That's what people used to say about logarithms and pocket calculators.
There are certainly cases when you need a "talented mathematician to do your
logarithms", but more often you will do just fine with a calculator.

The bad thing about this is that some of the specialist today will 
become obsolete.
The good thing about this is that there is probably much more to be 
discovered
about computational physics than we can even dream of, and that's what 
developers
should focus on instead of "reinventing the wheel".

Earlier this week, someone wondered why people pay money for commercial 
physics
toolkits. I think one of the reasons, that is often neglected, is that 
people like to work
with other people. Personal relations is one of the more important
ways to success in business. Even if ODE is fairly stable today, and 
works for many
of the current applications we can imagine, I'm sure we'll be doing 
something completely
different in ten years from now.  Who do you want to share that vision 
with, and what
should it cost?
I'm a great fan of open source software, but there is one issue that 
bothers me.
It seems that open source software implements well spread state of the 
art methods,
but almost never implements methods that really make a difference.
Open source software is becoming ultra-stable and extremely available,
but the development is incremental and rather conservative. Is if worth
paying for something that differs from that?


/Ken

Nguyen Binh wrote:

>        Hi,
>        But I have another thoughts.
>
>        Physics in game is not kid's toy.I do think that even if some
>        one write a "complete idiots guide" on using ODE, a programmer
>        still cannot "use" ODE properly (at least use efficiently).
>        Physics is still being simulated so it is "art of
>        programming".So I think, to use ODE, users should at least
>        have a base knowledge on physics (not just real physics but
>        computer base physics i.e try Barraff's papers...)
>
>        But I do agree that ODE is lack of "support" document. And
>        I'll very happy to contribute my free time to change that.
>        
>  
>