[vtkusers] VTK Textbook vs OpenGL Manual

[Paulo Tribolet Abreu]

Hi:

I'm starting to learn scientific visualization. My objective is to 
learn enough to write the visualization and analysis routines for the 
data results we get from plasma physics simulations.

I've started attending a university course on 3D visualization -- there 
is no course on just scientific visualization. We will be programming 
in OpenGL, so the teacher recommended buying the "OpenGL programmers 
guide".

However, although I'll be doing some assignments in OpenGL, I really 
want to learn enough to start programming in VTK. So I'm considering 
not buying the OpenGL book, and instead buy the VTK Textbook (I'll buy 
the VTK User Guide anyway). So my question is, for those that read the 
VTK Textbook, is this the correct decision? Or is the VTK Textbook not 
enough to learn general 3D programming? For specific OpenGL issues, 
there's plenty of info on the net. I really would like to have a book 
that I can carry around that would have the basic concepts of 3D 
programming (frustum,  transformation matrix, z-buffer, world view and 
so on).

I can always buy the two books, but I'll never carry both of them 
around while commuting, so if I have to choose one, which one should it 
be?

Thanks,

Paulo