> >1) they make the source code public domain and the browsers get
> > vamped up and debugged by universities, developers, and
> hobbiests
>
> Probably the best solution in my opinion.
Agreed. I am curious though if CAI is going to try and shed the
whole "VRML thing" off by "throwing" it into the public domain or
if they're going to try and make some money off of it despite
being an IT company. 3D visulization for IT sounds great but I
don't see an IT company doing wonders developing 3D developer tools.
> >2) blaxxun licenses code and speeds up their browser performance
>
> Maybe but without competition the real drive to innovate is not as
> great...( Still I hear they have this really excellent guy
> working with
> them now...) also if Java3D does MU there will be competitive pressure
That's why I was wondering if Sony might seize the oppurtunity.
Perhaps you could help me understand the VNet - blaxxun interrelationship.
It seems to me that if VNet were to continue to develop further that it
could eventually end up competing in some ways with blaxxun. Not to
sound paranoid, but if anyone could outflank VNet development it would be
you or Jeff. I HATE saying this but... If VNet gets really "good" at MU
then would it not be Jeff's RESPONSIBILITY to counter it? Please tell me
I'm all wrong.... :-<
> >3) VNet or some type of MU-VRML gets built into the browsers
> for better
> > performance and open standard strength and staying power
>
> probably not soon - any only if the code goes public.
> Somebody would be
> bound to try it. But right now most of the consortium's
> folks seem to be
> looking at ways to make VRML "smaller" and I don't really
> mean file size
what do you mean by "smaller"?
> >4) directX6 taken advantage of
>
> I'm a Mac person and refuse to comment ;^}
directX7 will be out later this summer and two of
the biggest features to come out will be hardware acceleration
of lighting and acceleration of transforms and extensions.
OpenGL already has an extension mechanism and it is expected
that the drivers will be able to be modified to make use of the
accelleration features that are originally intended for directX.
> >6) Sony rises from the dead to license itself new strength,
> putting the
> > competion on blaxxun (they did try to buy CosmoSoftware)
>
> Maybe, I think its a long way to go - being dead and all.
> they'd have to
> be serious and with Java 3D and X3D coming - I wouldn't buy
> it for much
I keep wondering if there will be a 2 tier VRML browser market.
Free ones and cheap ones with extra features like true shadows
or NURBS (like blaxxun's)
> Content!!! Most of the issues surrounding VRML is the lack
> of content and
> moreover content in a profit making niche. We the community
> can do this
> with what we have now.
bank on it ;-)
My company will be empowering VRML developers and digital artists
to do just that. The first potential investor (a year and a half
ago) I had called my ideas "gobbley gook". Well that "gook" went
to market this week 8-)
We're finalizing contracts, non-disclosures, trademarks, and
patent issues so that I can start letting
the VRML community know what we're doing and plan on doing over
the next month. I just want to develop and tinker, but as I have
found out, every time I want to let the community know about
something interesting we have to protect ourselves first and that
has taken a extraordinary amount of time itself.
We look forward to the commercial possibilities ;-)
Jon
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
