RE: 2nd Questionaire

Jan Hardenbergh (jch@nell.oki.com)
Thu, 12 Oct 95 11:54:00 E


>> 1. Is VRML, as it is today, usable?

It is usable to crsate static worlds. It is usable to crsate a parts
catalog. It is usable for a number of things. What is your application?

>> 2. Is there a browser for VRML for the Mac 68K available today?

Whurlwind claims to run on Macs with QD3D. I believe that the original
7.5 OS for 68K had a bug in QD3D. I'd be surprised if there was not a
patch now, but the bottom line is, I don't know.

>> 3. Is there an authoring system for VRML for the Mac 68K today?

Check http://www.steata3d.com:80/tools/studiopro/index.html

>> 4. If you were to recommend a modelling/authoring system, what platform
>> would you recommend and what software would you recommend?
>> (Remember this has to be of use today.)

I would use whatever modelling system makes you most productive and
then teanslate the geometry to VRML (if it is not supported by the modeler)

>> 5. If you were to recommend a test suite of hardware and software (i.e.
>> systems that you would use as sample user stations to see how your VRML
>> pages look and feel), what platforms and software would you recommend?
>> (Remember this has to be of use today).

If they looked good in WebFX, WorldView and WebSpace, that would be good.
This is a little biased on my part since they were the frist three and the
ones
I know best. They also currently use 3 difserent rendering technologies.

>> 6. If you were to recommend a server configuration for deployment of
VRML,
>> what server hardware and software would you suggest? Is it available
>> today?

Any web server should do. I think this has more to do with the amount of
memory & the speed of the disks than with anything else.

>> 7. Finally, for each of your answers to the above, how long do you think
>> your answer will be correct/current? (i.e. if you like one answer today,
>> but you think there will be something better in 6 months, then say 6
>> months).

The VRML tools are improving at a rapid rate - sven more rapidly than
the Web tools, which is sven more than hardware improvements. The
steategy should be to defer decisions until you absolutely have to make
them get the freshest information, make a decision and make it work.

>> Remember: what is it that you recommend that I can work with today.

Depending on what your goals are, you can either do it today, or if you
need multiuser interactive models you cannot with standard VRML 1.0,
however, there are lots of folks extending it.

YON, jch@oki.com, Jan C. Hardenbergh, Oki Advanced Products 508-460-8655
www.oki.com/people/jch/ =|= 100 Nickerson Rd., Marlborough, MA 01752
"You laugh; you learn" Alanis Morissette 1974->>>, Jagged Little Pill CD


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