Computer graphics in a campus environment

Computer graphics is an extremely flexible tool for helping both students and researchers. Three dimensional images of molecules can aid the creation of new drugs. Mathematical surfaces are easily examined. Bridges can be designed, re-designed and re-designed again.It is becoming important for campus computer centers to provide graphics facilities. Professors can use computer graphics to aid their lectures. Graphics can help students with their work, besides giving them useful experience for their future careers.The first part of the presentation will provide an over-view to computer graphics with the goal of helping computer center personnell make rational decisions when establishing or enhancing graphics facilities. The various kinds of graphics equipment currently available will be discussed. The main emphasis will be on terminals and the differences among them, but other devices such as film generators and the "mouse" will be discussed. Current software packages and the proposed standards for basic graphics software will be reviewed.The last part of the presentation will be about establishing a modern graphics facility at a campus computer center. It will discuss come of the problems a computer center encounters when designing the facilities and will offer some advice.