Re[2]: vrml and java

Adam Shaun Nealis ([email protected])
Wed, 4 Oct 1995 18:41:57 +0100

On Oct 4, 5:37pm, Vassilis Bourdakis wrote:
> Subject: Re: vrml and java
> At 07:53 04/10/95 -0400, [email protected] wrote:
> >
> >It seemed to me that vrml and java have almost the same function of 3-d
> >graphics on the internet. And it seemed hotjava is commercially more
successful
> >than most vrml browsers. does anyone can give some information about
> >comparing these two things?
> >
>
> To be honest, I don't think you can compare them...
> Have a good look at VRML, not only the specs, and I'm sure you'll find out
> yourself that a rendered image with full interaction (VRML) cannot be
> compared to a wireframe of a boat...(java)
> Java, may and probably will, be used as a programming tool for vrml like perl
> but things are still very much experimental.
And to add my twopennorth, in so far as 3-D goes, a Java app to simulate, say,
walking round a room, etc, would have to be completely by the programmer. ie
Java has no explicit support for 3-D, unlike VRML browsers, where like HTML,
you need only describe a scene. Also in a Java app one's browser would have to
download both the data (scene) AND the code to manipulate/render it.

In some respects Java is more general than VRML, but I think VRML is more
advanced. My mental evolutionary diagram is something like this

WWW |
| |
| | Increasing
| |
V | Complexity
Java |
| |
| |
| |
V V
VRML

Having met some of the Java development team a few weeks ago, I was forced to
reconsider Java (up till then I expected VRML to mature and "take off" as the
next step in the Web's evolution). I think hardware demands are a still a bit
tough re VRML, but Java might run on lesser spec machines. Definite downside:
Only NT and Solaris/SunOS versions of Java so far 8(

Adam.

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