Re: Cyberspace feature list (was: VRML usage)

Jon Russell ([email protected])
Thu, 20 Apr 95 19:27:44 BST

>However, VRML 2.0 is the only moniker that has been applied to this
>notion. Since you got the group to change M from Markup to Modelling
>do you want to press your previous suggestion that we are really
>working on Cyberspace 1.0 (of which VRML 2.0 is a part)?
>
>A rose by any name, the overall architecture is The most important
>design decision. What are the big pieces? or even features? Try these:
>
> - VRML for geometry, perhaps some geometric behavior

I disagree .. you are using the term Virtual Reality just to mean graphics ..

> - Distributed Object/Event System (keeps clients in sync)
> (VES, VRTP, DIS, ...)
> - Sound
> - Interactivity (See Paul Buchard's great issues page:
> http://www.geom.umn.edu/hypernews/get/interactive/index.html)
> - Synchronizer in client.
> - Scripting ability
> - Simulation environment (i.e. physics based modelling)
>
>We are talking about a massive distributed application/database.

I would argue the term 'Virtual Reality Modelling language' covers most of
these !
anything with in a virtual scene should be descibed by VRML; sound, smell,
movement .. how these are transported to the user are protocal issues, but
the scene desciption is all VRML.

Shoudn't we be thinking of the bigger picture .. VRML 1.0 is just the start
.. static scenes, limited sound etc, but its the basis for something much wider.

>From: [email protected] (Mark Waks)
>> In other words, multi-user environments will *use* VRML, but VRML
>> will not *describe* multi-user environments -- a higher-level
>> protocol will...
>
>I agree with you. (and voted for comp.graphics.vrml)

I agree with Mark aswell but disagree with you
I would argue (and vote) for :
comp.vr.vrml
comp.vr.cp (cybersapce protocol)
etc

How can Virtual Reality be a part of a graphics hierarchy .. That is just
one small aspect .. It's also just a language about specifing a virtual
world and mentions nothing about diplay devices or graphics.

Virtual reality or Cyberspace encompased too many other techniques and
technologies to be under one hierarchy, There is an arguemnt for
vr.lang.vrml
vr.comp.cp
vr.comp.hardware
vr.psychology
etc
but thats a bit heavy in the current state of play.

Think big Guys and Gals, I would like to think VRML and CP are the start of
something big and will lead to a much wider use and understanding of VR.

[Rant off]
I must stop taking drugs !!
:-)

Jon.
___________________________________________________
Jon Russell. ( [email protected] )
Microcosm Support & Development,
Department of Electronics and Computer Science,
Southampton University, Southampton.
SO17 1BJ England. Tel : +44 (0)1703 594490
http://bedrock.ecs.soton.ac.uk/Jon/