Re: [boost] GIL - Generic Image Library Review - Begins

From: Tom Brinkman (reportbase_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-10-05 22:05:39

>  My first impression is that the library mixes many Concepts, that can
> easily be separated. The first is of a display matrix, the second is of an
> image. Others ..  Points are Geometric Concepts. Colour is a Concept which
> too
> could stand alone. Cursor (locator) is useful to a matrix
>
> The concept of an display matrix could be applied elsewhere, where
> elements
> could be for example text characters. An image can also be comprised of
> vector
> graphics, but this subject is not touched upon in any serious way.
>
> Colour would be useful in Vector graphics, but would deserve its own
> library and
> I would expect to see the interface more user friendly with mappings to
> commonly
> used colour systems such as those in HTML, SVG and VRML.
>
> The domain that the library can be used in is very narrow. To be seriously
> used
> for image recognition as was previously suggested an application, my guess
> is
> that the library would need the ability to apply arbitrary transforms,
> including
> other than 90 degree rotations, and  interpolation of points, stereoscopic
> vision etc.
>
> As it stands the only use I can see is for touching up photos, and that is
> my
> problem with it , the domain is too limited. I would suggest revisiting
> the
> Concepts ,extracting them and then making sure that each would stand on
> its own.
> That would be a more interesting and widely useable set of libraries.
>
> regards
> Andy Little

Michael Goldshteyn wrote:

>> I just wanted to second Andy's opinion, because these are my thoughts on
the
>> library, exactly. It's too large of a beast that should be broken down
into
>> several smaller stand alone libraries that could be repurposed to various
tasks.

I agree that would be ideal; however, how many library authors have had the
foresight to
anticipate all those "varioius tasks" you describe, not many.  Most of these
"other uses" of a
library are discovered later by accident.  In the abstract, give these
compenents you see a
place to "live" and mature for a while, and then pull them out later when
these "other uses"
are discovered. You could have expressed this same concern with many of the
other libraries
that have been approved on boost.