From: Robert Jacobson Subject: PUB: The "VR and the Press" Controversy Date: Sun, 23 May 93 15:37:14 -0700 Francis Hamit recently published an article in Silicon Graphics World that suggests that elements of our industry have been less than responsible in dealing with the press, and that the press is not at fault for the "backlash against VR" that Francis believes is our lot. Following is my reply, less a rebuttal than a clarification: ---------------------------- Mr. Chip May, Editor Silicon Graphics World May 23, 1993 My friend Francis Hamit's comments excoriating the nascent virtual worlds industry, "Virtual reality backlash results from exaggerated claims, biased reporting" (SGW, June 1993), require an industry response. Regrettably, the virtual worlds industry, unlike more established fields like computer graphics, is too small to have a hired, polished spokesperson. As co-moderator of the 25,000- participant USENET newsgroup, sci.virtual-worlds, perhaps I can stand in. Francis correctly observes that there has been an ongoing tension between those working in our field and the journalists attempting to cover its rapid evolution. No surprises here. There is (properly) a tension between the practitioners and journalists in any field that matters: coziness and warm feelings are prevalent only within dying industries. Where claims are being made for a recent technology, a grain of salt is required on everyone's part. On the other hand, skepticism does not have to translate into nastiness. Unfortunately, there has been plenty of nastiness in the virtual worlds field, on the part of the press as much as on that of the practitioners. The snobbishness, pseudo-omniscience, and laziness of some members of the press corps who, in pursuit of their own aggrandized agendas, have consumed hours and hours of time that might be better utilized in the lab or the field, is legend. In my own case, trying to represent accurately the work of the HIT Lab at the University of Washington, I can remember many, many occasions when reporters called without the slightest interest in listening to what I had to say: their primary motivation was to recapitulate, over and over again, the "electronic LSD" and "telesex" mythologies. I suppose for each news organization there was a demanding editor waiting back at the shop for the organization's own "virtual reality story." (The conformity of the popular press corps, by the way, is staggering, considering that these are the folks whose work we expect will produce an educated electorate able to make informed decisions. Jefferson would not be amused.) Francis's run-in's with some of the Bay Area Gang should not be taken to be characteristic of the entire virtual worlds industry; in fact, I have found most of my colleagues around the world to be gentle, informative, honest, and direct. I cannot speak to ad hominen attacks that may have been made about his work, but I can testity to a chip-on-the-shoulder attitude that some journalists manifested whenever challenged to come to grips with the substance of virtual worlds. So fixated were these journalistic self-appointed "superstars" on personalities and glitz that finding out about the deeper paradigm inherent in our work -- the intimate allying of the person with computer, to produce greater understanding -- was simply too much of an intellectual exercise for them to undertake. Contrary to Francis, I find it remarkable that virtual worlds technology has come as far as it has, in so short a time, essentially without support from the platform manufacturers, service providers, and clients who ultimately will benefit by our work. I also believe, from my privileged vantage on sci.virtual worlds, that the applications for which we all long will appear this year and that the press will faithfully report on them. All of us, in the industry and the press, are capable of good work; we just have to put our minds to it and not be distracted by personal politics and private agendas. Finally, I will agree with Francis that coverage of virtual worlds developments has been entirely too San Francisco Bay-centric. This is as much the case with SGW as with many of the other media covering virtual worlds. There is a lot happening, not only elsewhere in the U.S. but also in the world, that does not come to the attention of readers of these media. That's a shame, as it only perpetuates our chauvinism and ignorance -- liabilities in an increasingly competitive global market. Thanks for offering me this chance to add to Francis's observations. His advice for people in the field is well taken, especially the part about hiring a professional spokesperson. (Unfortunately, as I remarked earlier, our industry is too poor for this luxury.) I might only add that people working in virtual worlds should be more proactive, searching out those responsible and responsive journalists able to accurately and honestly represent the impressive developments taking place in our field. Working together, we can build the industry and make it all the things we believe it should and can be. Sincerely, Robert Jacobson, Ph.D. President and CEO Worldesign, Inc. Seattle