From: edlantz@aol.com (Edlantz)
Subject: Re: INDUSTRY: New VR Display Classes, etc.
Date: 23 Aug 1996 18:51:00 -0400
Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364)


Some comments from David Zeltzer worthy of posting:

******************************************************
ed-

per our discussion on tuesday night before the panel, i have to
dissent on your statement that VMD represents a new class of displays.
colin ware of u. new brunswick coined the term "fishtank" VR some
years ago -- in a CHI conference, i think -- to denote exactly what
VMD refers to.  i've heard the term used quite often.  i'll try and
dig up references for you.

in fact, CAVE development software presents a fishtank view of the CAVE
(don't know if they name it as such in any CAVE documentation, though)
so you can see on your workstation CRT how your application will appear
in the full CAVE.

i think it's a useful concept, but i just don't think we can take
credit for it.

  --dz

******************************************************
ed --

you'll find fishtank VR briefly discussed on pp. 139 of
rory stuart's THE DESIGN OF VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS, mcgraw-hill, 1996.

the original citation is C. Ware, et al, "Fishtank Virtual Reality,"
Human Factors in Computing Systems, Proc. ACM INTERCHI 93, pp. 37-42.

i haven't read their papers on it in a while, so their notion may
be more restricted than VMDs...


  --dz

******************************************************

Ed Lantz's response:

I suppose none of our classifications are really original, but we do
need to differentiate display types somehow.  The idea is to get the
greater VR community to agree on some common classifications if not
some common termonology.  If this fishtank VR distinction already
existed, then credit is due to Colin Ware, et al, but many VR
researchers are not aware of it.

I like the term "fishtank VR," but it is a bit slang.  VMD is more
generic, but less descriptive perhaps.  How about the SID slang term
"armchair VR?"  (be sure to credit me!)  It does apply to some SID's
such as VR theaters but not to the CAVE where unecnumbered walking is
permitted.  In the final analysis, it will be the VR community at
large who will eventually settle on termonology that makes sense, not
us.  I do agree that these are useful concepts, regardless what they
are named.

P.S. - Recall that Steve Bryson and Mark Bolas were not 100% satisfied
with the "VMD" name, but neither had heard of "fishtank VR."  I like
VMD (HMD, SID, VMD sounds consistent).  We'll see what sticks...

Ed Lantz
edlantz@aol.com