Glossary

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Decimation: The original process of vertex removal for the purpose of mesh simplification[#!shroeder!#].

Mesh: We define a Mesh as a triangle based polygonal representation of an object.

Model: We define a Model as our structured representation of a mesh. It contains Triangle and Vertex lists.

OpenGL: OpenGL (Open Graphics Library) is the computer industry's standard application program interface (API) for defining 2-D and 3-D graphic images. Prior to OpenGL, any company developing a graphical application typically had to rewrite the graphics part of it for each operating system platform and had to be cognizant of the graphics hardware as well. With OpenGL, an application can create the same effects in any operating system using any OpenGL-adhering graphics adapter[#!whatis!#].

Render: In computer graphics technology, computer software can be used to render special 3-D effects given the right programming statements. A computer display system renders an image that is sent to it in the form of a bitmap or streaming image[#!techencylopedia!#].

Scene: We define a Scene as the highest level of abstraction for our data structures in our program. It contains Model and Lighting information.

STL: The STL (Standard Template Library) provides a set of parameterized container classes and other components, to which algorithms can be applied in a generic way. The library is structured so that any algorithm will work with any container providing it meets certain specifications[#!stl!#].

VRML: VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) is a language for describing three-dimensional (3-D) image sequences and possible user interactions to go with them. Using VRML, you can build a sequence of visual images into Web settings with which a user can interact by viewing, moving, rotating, and otherwise interacting with an apparently 3-D scene. For example, you can view a room and use controls to move the room as you would experience it if you were walking through it in real space[#!whatis!#].

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