Where do we go from here? a personal view on the future of molecular graphics

Abstract

This review article examines the future of molecular graphics. In order to establish future patterns of development, it is necessary to appreciate both how molecular graphics has developed, and the current situation. So the article is in three parts covering past, present and future. The brief history of molecular graphics does not attempt to single out all of the major contributions and to reference every important paper. Instead it aims to look at the underlying trends and philosophies of previous programs and systems. The section that deals with the present discusses the use of molecular graphics in the scientific community. It also aims to give some idea of the level of software being used today. Finally, the section on the future of molecular graphics discusses developments that can be expected, some in the near future, others probably some way off. This section is entirely speculative and in the future it may be seen that it was some way off line. The very nature of innovation means that it can not be foreseen. © 1983.