OFFTOPIC: An Occasional Uphelpful Topic

["Len Bullard" <cbullard@hiwaay.net>]

http://home.hiwaay.net/~cbullard/rol/riveroflife.wrl

o  Requires a VRML97 client (See Blaxxun Contact 6.n.  Also handles X3D (the
Pointy Syntax)).

o  Best over a high-speed line because of 10mb of sound files and heavy
texturing.

With all the hoorah about virtual worlds starting up(everything is new
again), I decided to release the last of my VRML97 worlds before moving on
to X3D.  Yes, it is slightly embarrassing for a markup geek to still use the
curly syntax, but it is the reliable subset and it suits my aging but trusty
tools.  With the release of ABNet (see VRMLWorlds, Rick Kimball), there is
now a freely installable communications server that uses XML.  The
application is chat, but Rick says the server is generic, so lots of
possibilities for dispatching models and AJAX.

I'll be adding features to this as it is a prototype for testing some
concepts and technology.  I've not chiseled the VRML files yet to leave them
inspectable for those who want to peak into the code.  I will do that later
to make them faster.  Speeding these buggers up is a real art.

This stuff is more fun than one should have sober.  And now, you can do it
with XML.  I'm working on an immersive album.  The bad news is it is in 3D;
the good news is you can have a release party inside the album cover.

If you have the time, have fun.

len