4 ms·

Okay, it feels like you're not really referring to the premise of open source, but more that there isn't a suitable portable "source" format for simple graphics

Okay, it feels like you're not really referring to the premise of open source, but more that there isn't a suitable portable "source" format for simple graphics like icons. What about SVG, is that a possible candidate? By proposing a new format, the real challenge is to have the graphical editors to use them. Expecting users to contribute graphics by markup isn't going to be much more productive in my opinion.

susi22 13y ago
Yes that's exactly what I meant. Though, I think I wasn't clear and many people misunderstood me. SVG is to describe graphics and not to create graphics. We need a DSL that has loops, objects, methods, overlaoding etc so we can actually create a framework that allows creating EPS/PDF/SVG etc.. Some exist, there is very simple gnuplot. There is python matplotlib but it's a general purpose programming language and no DSL specific one. I think the closest is asymptote (which is very little known). Then is is processing but it's geared toward animations and also does mostly raster graphics. There is R which is mostly for statistics. Then there is TikZ which is awful since TeX was never meant to be a programming language so it'f far from a DSL. I want to be able to describe shapes and extend them easily. I think Scala would be wonderful and somebody fluent in it could create a DSL and still allow extreme extensibility. We need a language which has multiple layers of API. One very low which can easily do lines, bezier curves and the usual. And then some higher APIs that allow _easy_ composition and intuitive transformations. SVG is like PDF, a format to display but nobody wants to write PDF or SVG. It's no fun.
- sweettea 13y ago
  I note that postscript has loops and methods, if I recall correctly.
  - susi22 13y ago
    Yeah but woulnd't you agree this is more fun: http://asymptote.sourceforge.net/doc/Tutorial.html#Tutorial http://asymptote.sourceforge.net/doc/Tutorial.html#Tutorial
    - eropple 13y ago
      Designers don't care if you think Asymptote is fun. They care that they can use Illustrator to get shit done. I do not understand why you are having trouble with this.
    - hnriot 13y ago
      seriously? are you just trolling or just not understanding?
- rinon 13y ago
  I beg to differ. Why should we describe a visual artifact using tools that are suited to describe logic and algorithms? Now, if you are wanting a DSL to describe HOW to make the visual artifact, that's one thing. However, the way art is created is not algorithmic, but rather a try something, visually inspect, and repeat process. Describing how the icon was created is not the main goal. Instead, the goal is simply a visual artifact.

susi22 13y ago

Yes that's exactly what I meant. Though, I think I wasn't clear and many people misunderstood me. SVG is to describe graphics and not to create graphics. We need a DSL that has loops, objects, methods, overlaoding etc so we can actually create a framework that allows creating EPS/PDF/SVG etc.. Some exist, there is very simple gnuplot. There is python matplotlib but it's a general purpose programming language and no DSL specific one. I think the closest is asymptote (which is very little known). Then is is processing but it's geared toward animations and also does mostly raster graphics. There is R which is mostly for statistics. Then there is TikZ which is awful since TeX was never meant to be a programming language so it'f far from a DSL. I want to be able to describe shapes and extend them easily. I think Scala would be wonderful and somebody fluent in it could create a DSL and still allow extreme extensibility. We need a language which has multiple layers of API. One very low which can easily do lines, bezier curves and the usual. And then some higher APIs that allow _easy_ composition and intuitive transformations. SVG is like PDF, a format to display but nobody wants to write PDF or SVG. It's no fun.

sweettea 13y ago
I note that postscript has loops and methods, if I recall correctly.
- susi22 13y ago
  Yeah but woulnd't you agree this is more fun: http://asymptote.sourceforge.net/doc/Tutorial.html#Tutorial http://asymptote.sourceforge.net/doc/Tutorial.html#Tutorial
  - eropple 13y ago
    Designers don't care if you think Asymptote is fun. They care that they can use Illustrator to get shit done. I do not understand why you are having trouble with this.
  - hnriot 13y ago
    seriously? are you just trolling or just not understanding?
rinon 13y ago
I beg to differ. Why should we describe a visual artifact using tools that are suited to describe logic and algorithms? Now, if you are wanting a DSL to describe HOW to make the visual artifact, that's one thing. However, the way art is created is not algorithmic, but rather a try something, visually inspect, and repeat process. Describing how the icon was created is not the main goal. Instead, the goal is simply a visual artifact.