Book Reviews: 4 books on the topic of: Role and application of computer graphics in non-computer-science related engineering education.

The four books above, spanning a period of about six years , have not been picked up at random for this review. The y illustrate very well different facets of the same issue : the role an d application of computer graphics in non-computer-science-related engineering education. The first, Ryan's, demonstrates what a book attempting t o integrate computer graphics in engineering programs shoul d not be. Roger's constitutes an example of what has been a fortunate idea, the gathering of successful experiences into a single volume. The third book, Gasson's, represents a remarkable collection of fundamental topics relevant to graphic s instruction and the last, Eide, et al ., appears to be the best boo k to date that combines traditional engineering graphics wit h computer graphics. Beware, Computer Aided Graphics and Design is hardly a book on computer-aided design or computer graphics! The firs t annoying fact about it is its very deceiving title. Probably a commercial appeal prevailed because the book is solely a n introduction to automated drafting. In fact the author seems t o take the terms automated drafting and computer graphic s interchangeably, and the title of the book only derives from a namesake course of his. In reality, the term computer-aide d graphics is not exactly defined and practically appears nowher e in the body of the text. (A glossary on page 43 gives a rathe r imprecise definition of computer-assisted graphics : "A techniqu e known as off-line batch processing of a graphical data base. " And on page 293, the author finally categorizes computer-aide d graphics and design as "human-machine communication"(!?), a very debatable assertion, to say the least. A specialist surel y knows what computer-aided graphics is supposed to mean, bu t the expression did not catch on and I doubt that it was "publi c domain" enough in 1979). Of course the author, an outstanding figure in the engineerin g graphics world, has provided a link between the traditiona l drawing and the corresponding computer graphics tools. Certainly automated drafting, though better termed computerized drafting, is an important aspect of graphics. Howeve r basing a whole introductory engineering course on it does no t seem to be the correct direction to pursue towards an effectiv e updating of engineering graphics instruction. What is at stake i s the conceptional and judgmental grounding that a graphic s course should provide in …