> On May 15, 9:03am, Scott Virt Theme Parks wrote:
> > wouldn't it be hilariously cool to create a text VRML browser!!!
> > could probably be the quickest renderer around...
> > Adrian (splitting at his sides with laughter)
>
> A text VRML renderer might actually be quite useful for sight-impaired users.
> I had a very nice email exchange with Christopher Serflek about making VRML
> more accessible, and think it is do-able.
>
> Ideally, interacting with a text VRML browser would be like playing an
> adventure game:
>
> "You are looking at a small, messy cubicle, crowded with bookshelves and
> whiteboards full of scribblings.
> The room has the following links:
> 1- Gavin's Home Page
> 2- The Open Inventor Home Page
> 3- Gavin's playroom
> The room has the following viewpoints:
> 1- Top view"
You could also add a way to browse these same text representation with
any HTML browser. Each of the numbered entries above could be a link
which takes you to the next .wrl file. They could be collected from
the document and put into a numbered list. Gopher could browse it too.
Maybe we need to apply the convention that a Text Comment section be
added to the header info of a VRML space. Such an area could contain the
text description, and any other searchable information that would make
good food for any Web Crawler (like Lycos). The same text could be handed
to Lynx, Gopher, and HTML browsers. A second section could contain HTML
language, which the broswers can use, but Gopher and Lynx would skip.
That area could contain IMG links to a snapshot GIF file which would give
the HTML browser user an idea of what the .wrl looks like, and would also
make a nice thumbnail shot for a .wrl database entry, or an image to put
on the near side of a clickable link to that space.
To avoid breaking the spec, all of the above could be placed in other
files in the same directory as the .wrl file. Then the server can
negotiate with the browser in order to decide which one to send. (Is
there an ALT tag in VRML, for breaking things out like this?)
---
Andrew C. Esh mailto:[email protected]
Computer Network Technology [email protected] (finger for PGP key)
6500 Wedgwood Road 612.550.8000 (main)
Maple Grove MN 55311 612.550.8229 (direct)
<A HREF="http://www.mtn.org/~andrewes">ACE Home Page</A>