Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cornell!rochester!yamauchi
From: yamauchi@cs.rochester.edu (Brian Yamauchi)
Newsgroups: news.groups
Subject: Re: CALL FOR DISCUSSION:  SCI.VIRTUAL-WORLDS
Message-ID: <1989Nov20.232843.19526@cs.rochester.edu>
Date: 20 Nov 89 23:28:43 GMT
References: <14547-repost@well.UUCP> <1989Nov16.161429.12549@talos.uucp> <14642@well.UUCP> <20757@unix.cis.pitt.edu>
Reply-To: yamauchi@cs.rochester.edu (Brian Yamauchi)
Organization: University of Rochester Computer Science Department
Lines: 42
Keywords: cog sci, JJ Gibson

In article <20757@unix.cis.pitt.edu> ml@unix.cis.pitt.edu (Michael  Lewis) writes:
>
>2) sci.virtual-worlds is unnecessary because the interests it represents
>	are already adequately covered in groups discussing interfaces
>	(Kyle Jones & Mark Mehl)
>
>I disagree strongly.  A separate group is needed because widgits aren't
>worlds.  I view the virtual-worlds approach as a fundamental shift away
>from the dualist information processing paradigm that has dominated
>cognitive psychology (science?) for the past 30 years.

I also disagree strongly with #2, but for different reasons.  To say
that virtual reality is nothing but interfaces + simulation is
analogous to saying that architecture is nothing but engineering +
materials science.  Certainly these fields are relevant and necessary
enabling technologies, but the field itself lies at the interface of
technology, art, and entertainment, and it makes sense to create a
separate group to discuss both potential applications and social
implications _as_well_as_ implementation strategies and scientific /
engineering research in this area.

>3) sci.virtual-worlds should be a "comp" group not a "sci" group.  
>	(Peter da Silva & Brian Yamauchi)
>
>This argument seems to mirror the acm siggraph zeitgeist (see '87 special
>issue on visualization of Computer Graphics) that if enough gigabits are 
>funneled through a screen meaning will miraculously emerge.  If "comp"
>types are relying on miracles it seems to me that a "sci" group
>is needed to provide them.

I don't think anyone needs or expects miracles -- NASA Ames, VPL, and
Autodesk are building *real* systems *today*.  I also think that you
are in the minority in wanting "meaning to miraculously emerge".  It
seems to me that most people are interested in using virtual reality
as a tool for interactive art, computer-aided design, real-time
communication, scientific visualization, and/or recreational fantasies.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Brian Yamauchi				University of Rochester
yamauchi@cs.rochester.edu		Computer Science Department
_______________________________________________________________________________