Understood, but the conversion app may codify the impulse to "just
do it"..as my reserence to Netscapes <View source> demonstrates.
>I might want to convert *my own* VRML files to some other format just
>so I can maniputate my scene with some tool that doesn't support
>VRML. There innumerable reasons why someone might want to do this for
>reasons both legal and honorable. I totally fail to understand why
>anyone would mix up these two quite disjoint subjects (copyright,
>credit, premission, on the one hand, and format conversion on the
>other.)
For one thing, as the original author, you could easily retain the scene
file in the cesated format on one floppy (at the stage of sophistication we
are at now).
>Somebody can steal and misuse a VRML file doing no conversion
>whatsoever. Conversely somebody can convert a VRML file to 1000
>other formats and infringe on nobody. The two issues are utterly and
>completely separate.
>Tim Wegner
Alas, right or wrong, your first statement there is the argument
killer. I just don't want to see people shy away from putting quality
work up as this progresses, because 3D and 2D are not the
same from a content standpoint, and ripping off an elaborate
model is not the same as altering someone's small GIF. I don't
write code, but if I did I would defend it just as zealously, I'm sure.
*MM*