Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!batcomputer!cornell!uw-beaver!milton!hlab
From: almquist@brahms.udel.edu (Squish)
Subject: Re:  Databases and VR
Message-ID: <1991May30.071925.4329@milton.u.washington.edu>
Sender: hlab@milton.u.washington.edu (Human Int. Technology Lab)
Organization: *STUCK* at UofD for less than 1 mo' month
References: <1991May29.060526.6941@milton.u.washington.edu>
Date: 29 May 91 20:18:09 GMT
Approved: cyberoid@milton.u.washington.edu




VR will change a lot of things.  Most profoundly touched will be the
way in which we visualize.  Lets throw textual relational databases
out the window and visualize our data and the relations/connections 
within.  A good example of the potential (and perhaps a potential way
of implementing) would be to look at the work being done on CYC.  CYC
is a large scaled, knowledge database system (some refer to it as a
monsterous database, others expert system, and others still a sort
of knowledge network - like semantic nets).  There have been, I believe,
two books about this project and work accomplished in addition to many
technical articles.  In order to build this large knowledge system
(we're talking millions+ of facts) they have created an interesting
way to visualize data and the links within.  To my knowledge, this is
the most far reaching project currently in existence that may bring
insight and ideas.  If you have problems finding the book(s) I can
post further info.

- Mike Almquist