The following pointers may be helpful:
Dylan Manual: http://legend.gwydion.cs.cmu.edu:8001/
Common Lisp HTTP Server: http://www.ai.mit.edu/projects/iiip/doc/cl-http/server-abstract.html
I think you're right to look very closely at high-level object-oriented
languages because it will help you code more complex yet modular
implementations that can evolve as better algorithms and datastructures
emerge. You can also benefit from higher productivity programming.
Also, this is the direction of the W3: to rise above the mark up to deal with
objects and generic operations on objects.
Dylan may well be the best choice. Implementations are underway for various
platforms, including MAC, UNIX, and PC.
I have a fully object-oriented Common Lisp HTTP server that we are using at
MIT for advanced W3 hackery, including intelligent form processing and
interfacing to various AI systems.
You can check this code out to see what object-oriented programming in a high
level language buys you. You can also use it if you like. Ports are underway
for MAC Common Lisp and Lucid Common Lisp under UNIX. Incidently, there is
work underway to provide CLOS to CORBA integration.
If you look at the CL-HTTP paper, you'll note the desire to build a bridge
between the WWW and AI communities. It seems to me that the qualitative
physics and vision research done in AI can contribute the VR effort. Much of
this is coded in LISP.
Our group is very likely to port the CL HTTP server to Dylan in the not so
distant future.
John Mallery
Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, NE43-797
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
545 Technology Square
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139-4301
WWW: http://www.ai.mit.edu/people/jcma/jcma.html
Phone: (617)253-5966