Time in grid-oriented VPLs: Just another dimension?

Specifying varying speeds and temporal relationships is necessary when programming graphical animations, Diet support for temporal programming has usually been do,le by adding new language features to a VPL, and these features must be mastered over and above the other aspects of the VPL. However, some researchers have believed that time should be able to be treated like just another dimension. In this paper we explore whether temporal programming can indeed be done using exactly the same devices as in spatial programming in grid-oriented VPLs. Toward this end, we provide a continuum of models aimed at this goal, with their advantages and disadvantages. Also, we identify core issues that help illuminate the essence of the problem.