Don't Spend a Dime: The Path to Low-Cost Computing

Chapter 8. Graphics

I am not embarrassed to admit that I cannot draw. My stick figures are horrible, with mismatched arm lengths, feet pointing in the wrong directions, and oversized heads that no neck could possibly support. I may be the only person in the world who cannot draw a symmetrical five-pointed star.

But all that changed when I began to use my computer to assist me with creating simple geometric shapes and ensuring that symmetry exists where it's needed. Suddenly, I could draw perfect squares, circles, and stars. My hand drawings typically still look like the crayon masterpieces of a two-year-old, but the graphics I create using my computer are starting to show promise.

Graphics applications have come a long way since the dawn of computers. ...