Re: On the VRML 1.0 spec, and VRML in general

Al Globus (globus@nas.nasa.gov)
Tue, 6 Dec 1994 16:37:25 -0800


From: James C Deikun <jcdst10+@pitt.edu>

I'm not at all sure exactly why a person would be specifying cameras in a
VRML scene. Since these things are supposed to be interactive, etc,

The camera is essential. When you first enter a scene you must look at it
from some particular viewpoint. If there is no camera in the scene, the browser
must make something up. Sometimes this is ok, but many times it is not. Consider
walking into a room. If there is no camera, the browser could easily decide to look
at the whole room --- from the outside. Obviously the browser will provide
interactive control of the camera after the scene is entered.

This brings me to another several points:

o Is the primary use of VRML ever going to be as static .wrl files?
It will certainly be one important use. Consider airline companies looking
at the design of a new Beoing aircraft (although one can imagin wanting
to see the flaps move I suppose).