From: dstamp@watserv1.waterloo.edu (Dave Stampe-Psy+Eng)
Subject: Re: "If not computer science, then what?"  And where on USENET?
Date: Tue, 22 Oct 1991 04:09:34 GMT
Message-ID: <1991Oct22.040934.5737@watserv1.waterloo.edu>
Organization: University of Waterloo


salnick@dejavu.spk.wa.us (Bob Salnick) writes:

>I was one of the people who originally suggested that the glove list readers
>join sci.virtual-worlds (I read both groups).  My reasons for this were
>functional rather than philosophic...
>
>It is my belief that in USENET, we can gather critical mass for nearly any
>project or work.  When I began to see the glove-listers starting to wrestle
>with some of the same issues that have been addressed in sci.virtual-worlds,
>it struck me that an opportunity had just appeared.  The glove-listers are
>solving problems of the same nature and level that were addressed by VPL,
>Polhemus, and others to allow the current VR technology to exist.  
>
>I apologize for my efforts to those who feel that the purpose of this group
>would be more appropriately served by the title philosophy.virtual-worlds, but
>I still think that the best use of the critical mass that is gathering in this
>field is to INTEGRATE the workers, not DISintegrate them to separate news
>groups.  For REAL progress, we need philosophers to point the way, and do-
>ers to make it happen - AND THEY NEED TO BE TALKING TO EACH OTHER!
>

I agree with this.  However, a subgroup would probably help keep things
organized.  In view of traffic, maybe we could split off the philosophers
( WHACK! OUCH!!!).  

Seriously, I really enjoy the way things are going right now, and would
like to keep the researchers and the garage workers in touch.  Myself,
I find the ability to bounce (sometimes naiive) ideas off people who
have more experience in the area very rewarding.  The replies are always
of some value, even if they just drop a few terms or a reference.  Keep
it up, and thanks!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
| My life is Hardware,                    |                              | 
| my destiny is Software,                 |         Dave Stampe          |
| my CPU is Wetware...                    |                              | 
| Anybody got a SDB I can borrow?         | dstamp@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca |
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