From: Lorenzo Pastrana
<pastrana@ultraflat.net>
Date:
To: 3DUI <3d-ui@hitl.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: Is there any standard in VR?
Dunno why, this mail never reached the list (recipent was in CC)..
Hi Marc,
I'm glad we share some points, however I'm affraid we also agree on the
following one :)
Nevertheless, I tend to prefer a more direct attitude. I've
read some
general HCI literature and it seems clear that the safest way to test /
validate a new user interface design is to use it in a concrete
application,
with its target audience. It is
true that we could build "fake" 3D VR/VE
applications that would have as their only purpose to let people
"play"
with
the built-in user interface.
I was not thinking of any 'fake' application but more to a 'softer' and
'shorter' way to run the
implement -> test (diffusion / feedback) -> tune -> validate lap for a
real
app
than, any monolithic hand coded experimental system that would need
re-compilation + redistribution / deployment etc.. Actually an ad'hoc
environement running online markup + script was comming up to my mind witch
would allow a mutch wider diffusion of experimental material. Obviousliy,
there is not a CAVE system in anyone's kitchen but the fishtank level of
immersion might suffice for most selection / manipulation widgets, witch
would be a good starting point IMHO to get more people used to 3dUI.
I disagree with you that 3DUI has a narrow audience. Given
what Ben
Delaney
kindly and vigorously reminded me,
there is a big market out there that is
just waiting for this 3D UI breakthrough to pop. Maybe by 3DUI audience,
you
were referring to us, people that
do research on the subject, then I could
agree it is a small crowd, at least, compared to the market crowd.
Well, I didn't ment to minimise the potential 3dUI market (witch I also
believe is big), I was just saying that because, compared to the WIMP model
witch is ubiquitous, any 3dUI user still looks like a 'happy few'.. That's
why I'm convinced that to gain inertia and actually make the breakthrough,
we need to severely lower the lap's cost and duration, and most of all make
it possible for the public to get exposed to novative material.
Many do not share our technical interests, but everybody
likes to look at
nice looking graphics.
Hehe, never underestimate the power of the eye candy :)
Cheers.
Lo.