Computer Graphics - more algorithms, less focus on modeling software and image processing tools

Question

Is there such a Q&A branch defined? I saw a timid attempt that hadn't made it past its toddler stage.

I am in search of a section/branch that is focused on the scientific side of Computer Graphics:

• Algorithms: modeling, data structures, rendering, animation, graphics libraries and engines, ideas, concepts, etc.
• Academic/Research options: discussing ideas, publishing a paper on a concept, discussing resources, conferences, journals, universities, etc. - all of these are always relevant for people interested in state of the art graphics methodologies.

If such a site is not called for, could anyone motivate its absence, perhaps, by supplying a short list of 2 or 3 other alternatives that, combined, respond to the above points? Combining math-se, gamedev-se and SO is an option, but people are more likely to have tangential knowledge to the core issues I mentioned, rather than lurking with a mass of enthusiasts always on the search for new ideas and eager to share their own experience on topics that are really more specialized than a community of programmers and, more or less, pure mathematicians have. I mean, I can't ask about an advance concept in CG, required by people that would like to improve upon a state of the art algorithm on gamedev, nor on SO.. and I can't ask people that lack, in majority, the skills to imagine how a really practical geometrical operator is to be applied in the discrete case (they don't even care to do that, most of the time - talking about math-se).

Answer 1

The scientific side of computer graphics is covered on Computer Science. CS.SE covers both theoretical and applied topics, and aims to be a resource for people who do, teach or learn science as well as for those who apply it in the field. Algorithms, modeling, data structures, rendering, animation would all be at home on CS.SE.

The use of specific libraries and engines, as opposed to the concepts that makes them tick, belongs on Stack Overflow. Academic life such as questions about publishing papers and organizing conferences is not related to the specific topic of the paper or conference and has a home on Academia.

To cut a long story short, I don't think there's a need for a separate site about computer graphics. I think the site you envision would be mostly a subset of CS. There might be a good reason to combine CS questions (algorithms, data structures and other scientific concepts) with implementation concerns (how do I code this algorithm with library X in language Y?), but unless you find a compelling need for this, I recommend going with CS.SE for the one and SO for the other.

There isn't much of a graphics community at the moment on CS (we do have a few computational geometry questions). Please join us!