X3D Community Blog 
May 18, 2007
Web3D Consortium Executive Director’s Update - Spring 2007
Today, bloggers are much more apt to blog on VRML rather than X3D, and all too frequently, they bash VRML, usually the VRML of our history, not the X3D work we have going on today. Knash and bash away. VRML is a part of our history, for better or worse. VRML taught Web3D and it’s members lessons about 3D language and formats, archivability, and even basic presentation of 3D rendering techniques. It STILL exists today as probably the most popular (and maybe most reviled?) 3D file format for the web. From the glass half full perspective, we learned a lot, everyone involved contributed, and a consortium was born out of it that promised development of a royalty-free IP unencumbered ISO standard. That is the X3D of Web3D today.
Today the consortium focuses on corporate members needs and the development of seven (and growing!) ISO specs for X3D. From the glass half empty side, well, VRML does seem to be the kicked-down dog of the media, a media leash-led by VC funding in case you haven’t yet connected those dots. Now you may ask why is it fine? Because they are speaking of the VRML of 2000 and older, and…
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May 01, 2007
Web3D Symposium Wrap-up
I’ve been back from Italy for over a week now already, and I am still combing thru the presentations and papers, emailing with attendees, sorting thru some awesome photos of Perugia and nearby locales, debating when/where future symposiums should be held, so much so that I’d have to say I feel as if I have not yet left Italy! At least not mentally. The body is in California, but my brain and soul are still in Italy…
The symposium was inspiring to me in that it has grown (doubled in fact) since last year and we had a record number of papers submissions for the recent years. We had a total of 113 registrants in total, and a good sprinkling of interested students and spouses (and even a few babies!) in tow. I would think a good time was had by all attending the very beautiful hilltop city of Perugia. We are very grateful to the University of Perugia, and Dr. Osvaldo Gervasi, for hosting us in the lovely Hotel Gio which was splendidly renovated just it time for our symposium!
The conference got under way with some X3D tutorials followed by Nokia’s Kari Pulli’s excellent keynote which was an…