How close technologically are we to the point where computers are fast enough that vector will be the default and most natural choice for all image formats of a typical size (2048 × 1536), including photographs and 3-D?

How close technologically are we to the point where computers are fast enough that vector will be the default and most natural choice for all image formats of a typical size (2048 × 1536), including photographs and 3-D?

 

Vectors don't make too much sense for a photograph, unless your camera works more like an eye I guess.

3-D is already stored in much the same way as 2-D vector graphics (except it's 3-D data). There's actually been a bit of interest going the other way (storing your 3-D object as a bunch of small particles rather than larger geometric shapes, although it's more of a hybrid, because the larger shape is stored too for when it's far away.)

Everything is solved when computers are faster. Think no more about what you actually perform with the hardware. Think little about representation! We need hardware which can raytrace billions of polygons and insanely large textures in realtime, every bounce of light, every sort of material, and handle a brute physics engine simulating every vapor droplet of water, the crystalization of every snowflake, the flow of the wind, and the flames of fire!

 

No.