An Introduction to NURBS: With
Historical Perspective (The Morgan
Kaufmann Series in Computer
Graphics) by David F. Rogers
Wonderful Book, Should Be A Model For All Textbooks
Curve and surface computer modeling is far more complex than what you
see on screen. It is quite a feat to convert a data set into a visual image,
and a bigger trick to convert it into a recognizable dimensional object that
you can turn as if you were holding it in your hand. The mathematical
heroes who paved the road to this point are acknowledged eloquently in
David Rogerss An Introduction to NURBS with Historical Perspective.
Rogers himself is a figure in computer graphics history, having penned
Mathematical Elements for Computer Graphics and Procedural
Elements for Computer Graphics. In An Introduction to NURBS, he takes
us on a mathematical journey that introduces the concept and details of
non-uniform rational B-splines, while simultaneously shedding light on the

mathematical wizards that make NURBS possible. This is a hardcover
textbook (not light reading) with enough equations and pseudocode to
satisfy even the hungriest of math theorists. With seven chapters, starting
with Curve and Surface Representation through B-Spline Curves to Bzier
Surfaces, the book is a thorough primer for those who are working toward
understanding computer graphic modeling. What really sets this book
apart from other texts, however, is the closing portion of each chapter, in
which readers get a historical perspective of the current state of the art in
curve and surface mathematics, in passages written by such luminaries
as Robin Forrest (Bzier curves), Rich Riesenfeld (B-splines), and Lewis
Knapp (rational B-splines). --Mike Caputo
Personal Review: An Introduction to NURBS: With Historical
Perspective (The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Computer
Graphics) by David F. Rogers
You don't have to be a graphics guru to appreciate this book. A good high
school math student could grasp the exposition in this book. I highly
recommend this to teenage prodigies, not only for the exposition, but to
read about the accomplishments of the prodigies who made this science.
This book really emphasizes understanding and generalization - it will
serve you well when you head out on your own. It is not language or
platform specific and will remain relevant to the future for this reason. This
book will serve as the foundations of a CAD, animation, or gaming
background. It won't make you an expert in any of the fields, but your feet
will be well grounded. The book progresses from Bernstein Polynomials,
parametric Curves through Bezier Curves and on into the more recent
developments in Knots and NonUniform Rational B-Splines.The author is
more than qualified to write an historical perspective: He's been a leading
authority on the subject of computer graphics and CAD programming for
more than a quarter of a century. He's been a personal acquaintance of
many of the principal characters in the unfolding of this exciting and still
young branch of mathematics. Characters such as Pierre Bezier, Steven
Coons, and Carl de Boor. I should emphasize that the historic perspective
doesn't interfere with the flow and development of the text from a purely
mathematical point of view. You could read the text and skip the history,
but that'd be a shame because the historical accounts and biographies are
what set this text apart. In some sense you feel like you're experiencing
the thrill of discovery in the same way that the theory developed - only in
fast forward. For these reasons, this book will also be of interest to anyone
who enjoyed James Gleick's Chaos. But unlike Gleick's Chaos, you'll
really get to understand the mathematics behind the story - the story of the
development of NURBS. It reads like a novel with twists, coincidences and
subplots. The men behind NURBS have had a profound influence on the
last part of the 20th century and their methods will literally shape the future
as the graphic tools of tomorrow's designers. I wish all textbooks could be
written in this style. That would also mean all textbooks would have to be
written by the founders of their respective fields and that wouldn't be a bad
thing. If you're a blue-collar Microsoft junkie looking for some sort of
certification to let you pretend to be a programmer, perhaps your appetite

will be better served by more specific texts. But for anyone who
appreciates the art of programming, this book is for you - even if you don't
ever touch graphics, it's just a fun book.
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