From: pc@espr.demon.co.uk (Phil Carlisle)
Subject: MISC: The future of VR research
Date: Sat, 1 May 1993 23:31:36 +0000
Message-ID: <736299096snz@espr.demon.co.uk>
Organization: University of Life (school of hard knocks)


Hi!!

Having reads some of the messages in this group, it seems that most of the 
people here are used to big bucks systems, many work in VR research etc..

there have also been debates about the scale and price of systems, and the 
benefits and disadvantages of these systems, what you all generally dont seem
to realise is that, while these low cost systems like sega etc may be damaging
to the mega expensive workstation equipped developers, and even the image of VR
itself as a communication medium, there is little if any chance of VR being 
accepted generally, unless these systems are developed.

 you only need to look at the PC for an example, years ago, when the computer
industry was still pretty small, there were very few machines, mainly in the
hands of hobbyists and researchers (ring any bells), then came along the PC,
and it SOLD, and SOLD so what we have now is some 45million XT's many users
who would have NEVER seen a computer have a PC, they arent the fastest, most
elegant machines, they were never the best powered machine, but they were
useful, and they were (reasonably) affordable, and they were made by a well
known manufacturer. PC's had a massive effect on the computer industry, and I 
think that we are looking at the same situation with VR, sooner or later, we 
will see a reasonably good system, by a well respected manufacturer (sony or
toshiba or something), and everyone will buy it, not for technical reasons,
not for spec, but because it does the job, and is THERE, all you people who are
developing high end systems now, I fear, will not reap the benefits of your
labour, until well into the future, possibly never, I would just like to see the
day when VR machines are accepted like PC's are in todays business and home 
markets, but we need a VR IBM to produce a working system, without all the high
end'ed ness of the researchers. (I just hope I can be the owner of the VR Msoft)


Thanks for reading.


-- 
Phil Carlisle