I appreciate your time - and your input
- you don't need to reply.
>> Yep.
Free membership.
We will consider that - its not the
money - so perhaps we should do this..
>> Well,
that is the theory. Is it working?
Not enough - because there is no obvious
widespread application as discussed before..
>> There
was a much smaller community when VRML 1.0 began it all.
But a number of big companies putting
in resources
>> Honestly?
I'm sorry, no. I think the consortium will continue to become more
insular.
I respect your view - I hope the Consortium can prove
you wrong :)
Neil
Miriam English <miriam@werple.net.au> Sent by: owner-www-vrml@web3d.org
10/02/2004 08:36 PM
Please respond to
miriam@werple.net.au
To
Neil TREVETT <Neil.Trevett@3dlabs.com>
cc
www-vrml@web3d.org
Subject
Re: [www-vrml] Tim BL Is
Baffled, Too
Hi Neil,
Neil TREVETT wrote:
> Don't stop now - we are almost agreeing!! :)
This will definitely have to be my last. I am letting my work slip badly.
> Miriam - do you think we can overcome any barriers to people like
> yourself joining? If you are busy - you can just lurk - and
make sure
> we don't do anything crazy :)
Yep. Free membership.
> >> The problem comes when [companies] are given undue
importance in the
> scheme of things.
>
> Miriam - I am genuinely not sure what you mean by special status -
at
> the moment a professional members has PRECISELY the same rights as
a
> corporate member. The participation agreement 3.0 actually
tries to
> give corporations SOME more rights - as at the moment we have companies
> joining as individuals as they get precisely the same benefits. Can
you
> tell me why you think companies are somehow being pampered - I really
> want to understand to know what I am missing - or to be able to set
the
> record straight :)
Sorry. :) I am an idiot. I should have rewritten that paragraph entirely.
I started by talking just about companies, but then was talking about paid
members, corporate and otherwise..
> Any successful standard needs corporate enlightened self-interest.
> Companies have to be able to get a return - but those that get
it
> realize its easier to establish a market and THEN fight for market
share
> - rather than fight over the creation of an opportunity in the first
> place. We can harness corporate greed to make an opportunity
for us
> all :)
Well, that is the theory. Is it working?
> >> VRML/X3D/the consortium can survive without any
corporate sponsors
> if it has plenty of users
>
> I honestly don't believe that would be true - there is not the
> concentration of users to create a self-organizing community that
could
> produce a specification roadmap
There was a much smaller community when VRML 1.0 began it all.
> I am suggesting that we harness BOTH the power of the
> community AND a Consortium to promote the cause. One doesn't
have to be
> exclusive of the other.
I agree. They don't have to be mutually exclusive.
> Do we have a chance to make it happen? Be honest :)
Honestly? I'm sorry, no.
I think the consortium will continue to become more insular. X3D will revitalise
it for a little while, but that will wane without the influx of bright
new minds. In the end I think people will look back at this wonderful thing
and puzzle over why it became a backwater and why something with so much
promise could have fizzled out.
I really hate to say this, and I almost deleted it before posting, but
this is how I think it will pan out. I really wish it wasn't so. I'd much
rather be part of a bold venture that I think will be on every desktop
in the not-too-distant future. But no company or group has it right as
far as I can see. There is a window of opportunity, but I think it is closing
fast.
Best wishes,
- Miriam
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How I wish I could enumerate PI easily
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http://werple.net.au/~miriam
My live Journal page http://www.livejournal.com/users/miriam_e/
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