From: Michael Brady <bradydesign-AT-embarqmail.com>
Date: 11 Apr 2009 05:04:38 UTC   (08:04:38 AM in author's locale)
To: "The Graphics List" <graphics-AT-lists.graphicslist.org>

On Apr 11, 2009, at 7:19 AM, tristan wrote:

> Given its geometric simplicity and obviousness, I wondered if
> general studies had been made over the 'rounded corner', or over
> that particular action of drawing a round corner instead of a
> straight angle.

What immediately came to mind was:

In PostScript graphics, mitering the path of a sharp angle.
Flattening arcs in PostScript output (i.e., turning an apparently
smooth curve into a polygon with many sides)
Using either bezier or quadratic splines to produce curved lines in
computer vectors.

Which lead me to think of antialiasing in rasterizing straight and
curved lines, to avoid "jaggies"

Which lead me to think of the whole concept of drawing curves using
only squares (pixels).

Which lead me to think of hinting in fonts and other features of how
to render fonts on screen and in high-res output.

BTW, you mentioned architecture and megastructures. That made me think
of the difference between suspension bridges, which use a parabolic
cable that carries the vertical thrust from the road bed, and cable-
stayed bridges, like the Millau Viaduct and many others, which use
direct support from the piers (no parabolic cable is involveed).

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