Curves and Surfaces for CAGD: A Practical Guide (The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Computer Graphics)

When a book of any kind warrants a fifth edition, there must be more than just a few things right about it. In the case of Curves and Surfaces for CAGD (Computer Aided Graphics and Design), Gerald Farin has written and maintained a definitive work on computer graphics and graphics programming.

The fourth edition of this work was published in 1997. Four years is quite a long time when it comes to anything computer-related, and even cutting-edge math theories get old fast in light of new ideas and trends. This new edition features a restructuring of the entire book, as well as new material on things like "least squares techniques."

Twenty-four chapters and almost 500 pages cover everything from introductory 3-D geometry through basic linear interpolation, to specific algorithms for curve constructions. As if the liberally illustrated chapters weren't enough, the publishers have put together a Web site that includes examples and C code from the book.

For any student of 3-D computer graphics programming, this definitive textbook offers history, theory, and practical examples that can be used in a variety of applications. The easy and friendly writing style makes this book a classic and a mandatory study for any student, or a must-have reference for any professional. --Mike Caputo