BKVRMLEV.RVW   960924
 
"VRML: Exploring Virtual Worlds on the Internet", Walter Goralski/Matthew
Poli/Peter Vogel, 1997, 0-13-486960-5, U$39.95/CC$55.95
%A   Walter Goralski
%A   Matthew Poli
%A   Peter Vogel
%C   One Lake St., Upper Saddle River, NJ   07458
%D   1997
%G   0-13-486960-5
%I   Prentice Hall
%O   U$39.95/CC$55.95 +1-201-236-7139 fax: 201-236-7131 beth_hespe@prenhall.com
%P   481
%T   "VRML: Exploring Virtual Worlds on the Internet"
 
So, having an Internet account no longer sets you apart?  Most of your friends
are "surfing the Web" now, too?  Some of them even have followed your lead in
setting up a Web home page?  Need to maintain your technological superiority? 
Go VRML, young man, go VRML.
 
The Virtual Reality Modeling Language is a description language for three
dimensional (virtual reality) graphical spaces.  It also has the hypermedia
linking capability that HTML (HyperText Markup Language) gives to the World
Wide Web.  Thus VRML proposes the possibility of "browsing" through virtual
malls and museums, rather than the simple page oriented information links
currently provided by the Web.
 
At the moment, that promise is more proposed than actual.  Virtual worlds do
exist in cyberspace (if you have the right browser), but tend to be
explorations of the ideas rather than useful presentations.  Still, they do
exist, and this book indicates that VRML is growing: this is a basic, user
level introduction to the field.  While other VRML books are more technical,
and concentrate on the building of 3-spaces, almost half of the text here deals
with the concepts (coming close to being tedious on the subject) and the
installation and use of one of the included browsers.
 
This is, then, a book for the novice user who wants a bit of hand-holding while
getting started on VRML explorations.  The VRML side of the text does give some
instruction on simple shape creation, but those who do want to build virtual
worlds will have to look elsewhere.
 
copyright Robert M. Slade, 1996   BKVRMLEV.RVW   960924

==============
Vancouver      roberts@decus.ca         | You realize, of
Institute for  rslade@vanisl.decus.ca   | course, that these
Research into  Rob.Slade@f733.n153.z1/  | new facts do not 
User                 .fidonet.org       | coincide with my
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