Re: Visual navigation possibilities with GopherVR for Macintosh and

["Mark P. McCahill" <[e-mail]>]

In message <v01510103aba57e159004@[130.209.240.35]>  writes:
> I just downloaded the alpha mac release of TurboGopher VR and the whole
> thing smacks of doing something because you can, and not because it's good.
> 

For a longer explanation of the rationale, see this paper:

<URL:GOPHER://boombox.micro.umn.edu:70/00/gopher/Gopher_Conference_94
/Papers/3Dgopherspace%09%09+>


> 
> I quickly gave up using the "3D Browser" finding the "1D list" of items to
> be *much* easier and faster to use.
> 

we aren't done with 3D browsing tools yet...

> The items aren't layed out in 3D, they are placed on a flat plain and the
> "VR" view of them is 3D.
> 

That is because you are going to non-3D savvy gopher servers and we have to 
build some sort of default scene in the client. 3D-savvy gopher servers can 
tell the client where to place things (x,y,z coordinates) and how to orient 
them (x,y,z rotation). So... a 3D-savvy server can return a scene with the 
objects arranged in some other fashion than that which the client synthesizes 
for non 3D-savvy servers.

> Personally I will need quite a bit of pursuading to believe that looking at
> information layed out on this plain is in some way better than for example
> using the new 2D lay-out facilities that tables in WWW provide.
> 

Keep an open mind for a little while while things like Veronica become 
3D-savvy...




Mark P. McCahill                                 gopherspace engineer
[e-mail]                     University of Minnesota
612 625 1300                                       612 625 6817 (fax)