Let us remember that not all VRML applications will be "browsers".
While the notion of a beowser is the easiest and most obvious first
product step, we will soon see a myriad of both networked and
non-networked applications incorporating VRML as a core element. We
will severely weaken VRML as a standard if we gear it to either type of
app.
It would also be a major strategic mistake for us to tie VRML to any
specific language, network based or not. I think the quest Mark has
identified is to build a flexible binding mechanism for VRML objects so
that VRML can be used in conjunction with any protocol or language,
with Java being a good starting point.
I really like Java and think it will probably end up being the language
used most for networked VRML applications, especially given that it is
included in Netscape 2.0. On the other hand, I think OLE and VRML are
a good choice for non-networked applications. Whatever we do, let's
not gear VRML to one situation or the other.
- mike