No repository or CDROM could possibly contain "enough" models of
"common objects" (real and imaginary, I presume). And where's the
originality in scenes made up of the same 3D models?
3D models are valuable property today. Collecting, describing,
converting and indexing thousands of models will be a lot of
work. Who's going to be the clearinghouse? For example, take
a look at your copy of the Viewpoint DataLabs catalog, certainly
the largest collection of 3D models available today. Even still,
does it contain all the models of "common" objects you'd want?
Are you asking for 3D versions of everything conceivable in the
human mind?
Popular central repositories will run more slowly, will be restricted
if over-used, or might be down, not to mention wasting time for another
connection, and exist at the beneficence of someone willing to put
gigabytes online at high speed.
Most world-builders will want absolute control and assurance of the
models in their scene, and will avoid techniques based on slippery
sources.
All this effort, for what? For people to save local hard disk space?
If freeware object collections arise, they'll be on the net or CD.
You can make a copy of what you want. You can color it however you
like, scale it, decimate it, whatever. You can make it *your* teapot.
- John Foust