LANG: Re: Content, net-distribution aspects of VRML/Inventor/HTML/WWW

John Gaffney (john.gaffney@cts.com)
Thu, 29 Sep 1994 18:41:12 -0800


I've been thinking about the bandwidth-limited speed of access to 3D
objects referenced by name strings in the proposed "WWWFile" and
"WWWButton" nodes.

As a result, I have a language suggestion which may be helpful at
less-than-T1 data rates. (Forgive me if the current thinking already
encompasses this.)

If the name string in the above nodes could accomodate a reference to local
3D object data files (perhaps a standard set distributed on CD-ROM), then
the data only needs to move from local disk, and speed is potentially
increased.

Alternatively, the file referenced by a URL in the name string could
contain a unique 3D object ID, which the browser could then search for
locally (either finding the exact object or a best fit) before continuing
to read the rest of the data in the file (and pulling it all across the
net). In this case, I guess it's a browser/data file issue rather than
language syntax.

I'm thinking this has standards ramifications as well (a "universal 3D data
library"?).

John Gaffney