Interpreters and (math) speed

Hi


I'm kind of new to this area, but I am in the process of designing a
'graphics language' : a language which has a very extended set of
graphics primitives and a huge number of mathematical routines and
other routines. Algorithms like raytracing, or lens flare
implementations and z-buffering are then to be programmed in this
language, kind of like RenderMan but much extremer and flexible.


So my question is : what do people, who are thinking about
compiler/interpreter technology all the time, think of using an
interpreter for such a task ? Could it be made fast enough, especially
for calculations (note that support for real-time graphics is not the
purpose ! We're talking about rendering realistic graphics here,
e.g. over a network. But even then speed is an issue.)


I don't know if Im gonna get response, but all tips and hints about
whether or not it can be done and what techniques to use are more than
welcome. A tip on where to start would be nice too.


Thanks in advance,


Stefan Wils (stefan.wils@zorro.ruca.ua.ac.be)
[Depends on the granularity of the operations. If each op is big enough,
the interpreter overhead vanishes into the noise. That's why interpretive
matrix math systems are popular. -John]


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