Subject: Re: Low-end VR Newsgroup
From: Chris Shaw <cdshaw@cs.ualberta.ca>
To: glove-list@karazm.math.UH.EDU
Date: 	Tue, 15 Oct 1991 23:56:34 -0600
In-Reply-To: <9110160211.AA29570@att1.Mankato.MSUS.EDU>; from "glove-list-request@karazm.math.UH.EDU" at Oct 15, 91 8:11 pm
Organization: U of Alberta, Dept of Computing Science
Address: 713D General Services Building, U of A, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2H1
Message-Id: <91Oct15.235759mdt.42521@scapa.cs.ualberta.ca>
By the way, I'm definitely against comp.sys.virtual, because the
comp.sys hierarchy is for machines from a particular manufacturer, or
a manufacturer's product line. Hence c.s.mac, c.s.sgi, c.s.dec, etc.

There is no standard "virtual" system, nor is there a manufacturer 
called "virtual", so comp.sys.virtual is out.

> (sci.virtual-worlds.actually-doing-something-now comes to mind too,
> but I don't think the sci.virtual-worlds moderator would be amused.)

Actually, it seems to me that the only purpose for moderation of that group
is to get U of Washington's name in lights on a permanent basis.

I happen not to like the stuff in that group right now, but on the other
hand, the philosophizing does not seem inappropriate.

The fact of the matter is that almost everyone who is doing work in this
field can't be bothered to post to that group. This is due mainly to 
the high "fluff" level, but also because most labs out there are extremely
busy getting their labs up & running. Most people are starting from
scratch, building things using the first technique that comes to mind. As a
result, nobody talks to each other because everyone thinks they have "the
best answer". Face it, reporting your hot new result to sci.virtual-worlds
is worth absolutely nothing. Better to get it in a conference or a
journal, and get credit for it. When these projects finally get published,
the seriousness level on sci.virtual-worlds will increase, because people
won't be so worried about proving themselves. I hope.
-- 
Chris Shaw               University of Alberta
cdshaw@cs.UAlberta.ca    CatchPhrase: Bogus as HELL !