A blue node anecdote

[N-drju]

This is probably for all of you guys who brushed against algebra and stuff. But here goes anyway.

Recently, I have started to learn about Boolean algebra and Boolean operators that are used in this discipline.

And then, I finally realized why I couldn't figure out why Planetside's Matt would warn and so strongly emphasize, that certain blue node is a Boolean and *NOT* a scalar. Or how I understood this name up until now.

[Dune]

Then you know more than I do, but I never dived into maths very much. Hated it at school and Uni.

[Matt]

And then, I finally realized why I couldn't figure out why Planetside's Matt would warn and so strongly emphasize, that certain blue node is a Boolean and *NOT* a scalar. Or how I understood this name up until now.

I did? Booleans are not exactly scalars but they can be represented as scalar values of 0 or 1, as they are in Terragen.

What have you learned?

[N-drju]

I think you mistunderstood me.   Hmm, how shall I put it...

What I meant is that when I kept seeing the "Boolean NOT scalar" node, I got an impression that "NOT" is an emphatic linguistic mannerism rather than a Boolean operator. Like in: "It is a boolean and not a scalar stupid - buy new glasses."

You understand it mathematically, but for a rookie like me it sounds funny when I realize how silly I was.

Well, as far as my learning is concerned, I found out that Boolean algebra deals with "truth" and "false" values only. Or in fact "1" and "0" values. Then, these values can be combined via certain operators, much like elementary algebra adds, divides, multiplies or subtracts. Then come operators like AND, OR and, indeed, NOT.

I also learned, though it was evident for me after just a few paragraphs, that Boolean algebra constitutes foundation for computing and logical systems. Kind of neat to know when you relate this knowledge to TG, though, for now, I don't have any ideas on how I could use it. Negating an output of an entire colour set is what comes to my mind... But I might be mistaken.

@ Ulco - I feel you. I also hated maths passionately while in high school. But once you finish high school education and are not forced to learn anything, you look at these things from different perspective. Although, in case of maths, it is only recently that I started to dig into it. Maybe precisely because of the fact that nobody tries to shove it down my throat.

[Dune]

not forced

Right!

[Matt]

Oh, I see!