RE: [www-vrml] VRML still the most popular Web3D format - by far.

["david.arendash@manyone.net" <david.arendash@manyone.net>]

I'll take that:
If you go to that link he included (below) it says:

"What functional changes are there between VRML97 and X3D? 
...
Externprotos now only define external X3D file content. They cannot be used to provide extension mechanisms to browsers. The way to provide browser-specific 
extensions is through custom components. "

This, to me, sounds like externprotos have been demoted to nothing more than Inlines. So I think a clarification of 'extension mechanisms to browsers' is in 
order.

I saw an externproto that would add joystick and DirectInput to a browser. Is that what is meant? And no longer supported by X3D? Or is this blurb inaccurate?

Dave A.


On Thu, 2 Sep 2004 16:23:44 -0700, Richard F. Puk wrote:

>Hi, Braden --
>
>What ever gave you the idea that EXTERNPROTO has been abandoned? It is an
>integral part of X3D!
>
>  -- Dick
>
>/***************************************************
>* Richard F. Puk, Ph.D., President
>* Intelligraphics Incorporated
>* 7644 Cortina Court
>* Carlsbad, CA  92009-8206
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>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: owner-www-vrml@web3d.org 
>> [mailto:owner-www-vrml@web3d.org] On Behalf Of Braden McDaniel
>> Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2004 9:50 PM
>> To: Len Bullard
>> Cc: Tony Parisi; 'Viveka Weiley'; 'VRML list'
>> Subject: RE: [www-vrml] VRML still the most popular Web3D 
>> format - by far.
>> 
>> On Sat, 2004-08-28 at 12:41 -0500, Len Bullard wrote:
>> > It's about learning by example over spamming. 
>> > It's about being able to get a few bits back per bits offered as in 
>> > Google adSense.
>> > 
>> > VRML won't die because there is nothing else.  X3D is still VRML.
>> 
>> By heritage and proclamation. Nonetheless, a valid VRML97 
>> file is not a valid X3D file. Perhaps that detail wouldn't 
>> matter if translation were possible 100% of the time; but 
>> AFAICT, it's not...
>> 
>> >   X3D is just integration plus more features. 
>> 
>> <http://www.web3d.org/x3d/faq/index.html#technical-2>
>> 
>> The abandonment of EXTERNPROTO as a browser extension 
>> mechanism should not be trivialized. The text in the above 
>> link says that, "The way to provide browser-specific 
>> extensions is through custom components." But how do you 
>> refer to one of these "custom components" over the network?
>> 
>> -- 
>> Braden McDaniel                           e-mail: 
>> <braden@endoframe.com>
>> <http://endoframe.com>                    Jabber: <braden@jabber.org>
>> 
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>
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