HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: dstampe@psych.toronto.edu (Dave Stampe)
Subject: Re: TECH: Single Screen HMD.
Originator: hlab@milton.u.washington.edu
Organization: Department of Psychology, University of Toronto
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 13:54:36 GMT



t9114209@phillip.edu.au writes:

>I probably will change platforms to IBM, if I can find any VGA-PAL
>cards to work with my home-made HMD. (I agree how easy it was too hook
>up the Amiga to extrenal video devices with easy access to the dor
>clock, and also ready available chips to convert RGB-PAL/NTSC)

My favorite technique is to get a VGA card with a clock chip (the ATI
VGA Wonder is a good one) and reprogram the registers to get NTSC or
PAL timing.  You can then either directly drive a display with the RGB
and H and V sync, or XOR the sysc signals to get an approximation of
composite sync.

I've also found a source for multi-VGA cards, with 4 VGA's on one
board, software selectable.  It's reasonably priced ($550US) and uses
Oak VGA chips.  Unfortunately, these chips are about 30% slower than
the ATI chips, but a good deal nonetheless.  The source is:

Chipcom Computer
5fl, no. 135, Sec. 5,
Chung Hsiao E. Road,
Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.

I haven't yet located an American importer for these, but the're a
great item.  They should be capable of producing NTSC and PAL timing
as well.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
| My life is Hardware,                    |         Dave Stampe          | 
| my destiny is Software,                 | dstampe@psych.toronto.edu    |
| my CPU is Wetware...                    | dstampe@sunee.uwaterloo.ca   | 
| Am I a techno-psychologist, or just an engineer dabbling in psychology?|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
From: david waggoner <DWAGGONE%NAS.BITNET@uwavm.u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: JOBS: What salaries are (and should be) in this fiel
Originator: hlab@milton.u.washington.edu
Organization: University of Washington
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 23:31:00 GMT



REAL WORLD SALARIES:

Software Engineers/Programmers:    30K - 75K

Systems/Network Engineers:         30K - 55K


[MODERATOR'S NOTE: Maybe we need some selectivity based on geographic
region, seniority, etc.  Those ranges are universal, and not
necessarily specific to virtual worlds development.  Ideas?  -- Bob
Jacobson]
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
From: kennym@well.sf.ca.us (Kenny Meyer)
Subject: CONF: WESCON 92, Anaheim, California, Nov 18, 1992: Good deal!
Originator: hlab@milton.u.washington.edu
Organization: Piltdown Technology
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 07:09:53 GMT


Crossposted from WELL (192.132.30.2) vr conference, with permission


Topic  44:  VR Event Announcements
#207: Kenny Meyer (kennym)      Mon, Oct  5, '92  (22:50)      15 lines
 
 WESCON '92 in Anaheim (November 18) looks like the best conference
 deal of the season.  Excellent slate of presenters and registration
 is only $10 on site.  Call 800-877-2668 for more information.
 
 Presentations include:

         Peter Tinker, Rockwell.  Real Training in VW
         Lewis Hitchner, RIACS.  NASA Ames Virtual Planetary Research
         Kisha Ganapathy, Bell Labs.  Role of VR in Communications World
         Joseph Hale, Marshall Space Flight Center.  MSFC VR application Pgrm
         Willima Leler, Ithaca Sftwre.  Artist's perspective of VR
         Tom Piantanida, SRI. Practical Applications of VR
         Chris Esposito, Boeing. Application of VR in Aircraft Engineering
         Tom Coull. Sense8.  VR Apps from Wall Street to Rehabilitation
         Andrew MacDonald.  Hit Lab.  WV applications from the HIT Lab.
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
From: marks@pwa-b.uucp (Evan R. Marks)
Subject: INFO: Seeking info on User Interfaces for Virtual Reality
Originator: hlab@stein.u.washington.edu
Organization: Pratt & Whitney Aircraft
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 15:38:16 GMT


I am trying to come up with a good topic for my master's thesis, 
and I have chosen Multimedia Interfaces for a Virtual World.

If anyone has any good references to papers, topics, or books, please
e-mail to me.  Also, if anyone has a better V-R topic that could be 
explored, let me know.

Thanx in advance for any info
---Evan
-- 
Evan R. Marks                            Pratt & Whitney Aircraft
Sr. Systems Support Specialist           400 Main St. M/S 161-05
Unix Workstation Support                 East Hartford, CT 06108
marks@pwfire.pweh.utc.com                (203) 565-5444
From: cs501005@scs.carleton.ca (craig hayashi)
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
Subject: INFO: Bates "Blobs" in Business Week
Date: 15 Oct 92 01:13:00 GMT
Article-I.D.: u.1992Oct16.170344.6339
Organization: School of Computer Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
Originator: hlab@stein.u.washington.edu


I recently read an article on virtual reality in Business Week
Magazine.  Among other things, they briefly discussed the work of
J. Bates at Carnegie Mellon University on a world where independant
"blobs" programmed with emotions and behavior interacted
among each other.

Does anybody have any information on:
        -his E-mail address
        -where this work is published
        -any other similar work
If so I would appreciate hearing from you. 

Thanks,

Craig Hayashi
cs501005@scs.carleton.ca

[Co-mod (Mark):  Is this A-life, or VR?  Granted the two *will* unite, but...]
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
From: jet@nas.nasa.gov (J. Eric Townsend)
Subject: Re: TECH: Nintendo Power-Glove: What's it do?
Originator: hlab@milton.u.washington.edu
Organization: Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation, NASA Ames
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 00:11:45 GMT



"pulkka" == Aaron Pulkka <pulkka@cs.washington.edu> writes:

pulkka> glove-list..  The correct address is: listserv@nas.nasa.gov
pulkka> (not .com) Again, put this in body: subscribe glove-list

I wasn't aware that "listserv@nas.nasa.gov" gets to my workstation
from the outside world... If this address fails for you, try

"listserv@boxer.nas.nasa.gov"

--
             J. Eric Townsend --  jet@nas.nasa.gov -- 415.604.4311
                              '92 R100R, DoD# 0378
"I love the iPSC/860.
The iPSC/860 is my friend." (repeat until your code runs...)
From: bdel@well.sf.ca.us (Ben Delaney)
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
Subject: Re: INFO: Virtual Reality Locations
Date: 16 Oct 92 16:50:18 GMT
Article-I.D.: u.1992Oct16.171128.7833
Organization: University of Washington
Originator: hlab@stein.u.washington.edu


Probably the closest place to cedar falls is st louis, where edison bros.
has a mall-based virtuality location. i don't have the address, but try
calling 1-800-illusion for info.  it costs about $1/minute.

have fun.
From: 0112patg@concave.cs.wits.ac.za (geva patz)
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
Subject: PUBS REQUEST: Looking for info on ShadowRun VR game
Date: 5 Oct 92 12:05:43 GMT
Organization: Computer Science, University of the Witwatersrand
Originator: hlab@milton.u.washington.edu



I read recently in a Mondo 2000 about the imminent release of a 3D
VR-type game set in the ShadowRun role-playing world. Can anyone point
me in the direction of more info on this (articles, reviews, etc.)
 
Yours,
 
%%%%        Geva Patz
 Geva       WITS University
  %%%%      0112patg@concave.cs.wits.ac.za
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
From: magick@iastate.edu (Magick Man)
Subject: TECH: SGIs and VR
Originator: hlab@milton.u.washington.edu
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames IA
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 00:13:09 GMT



I'm fortunate enough to now have access to a SGI personal iris. I was
wondering if anyone could point me towards any VR applications/
instructions/etc for this platform. Thanks.

Robert Gooch
magick@iastate.edu

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
= Robert Gooch (magick@iastate.edu)      ---     Programmer Wannabe           =
=                                        ---     Mac, IBMs, Amigas and more.. =
=      Virtual Reality, the place to be.                                      =
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
From: cyberoid@stein.u.washington.edu (Robert Jacobson)
Subject: CONF: Cyberspace Conference 3, Austin, TX, May 93, Corrected Fax No.
Originator: hlab@stein.u.washington.edu
Organization: WORLDESIGN, Seattle
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 03:41:14 GMT



Michael Benedikt informs me that the correct fax number for those
wishing to contact or make submissions to the Cyberspace Conference
organizing committee is

                        +1-512-471-0716

Thank you.

Bob Jacobson

[Co-mod (Mark): Bob is gone until Friday, so I'll be moderating the 
        newsgroup in his absence.]
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
From: thinman@netcom.com (Technically Sweet)
Subject: Re: SCI: Object behavior in VR
Originator: hlab@stein.u.washington.edu
Organization: University of Washington
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 19:16:44 GMT


I probably won't touch Smalltalk.  There are many ways of
doing objects and I like the CLOS "generic function" approach
better than Smalltalk's.  

Dylan is a Scheme-like language designed by Apple's Cambridge
research group as a small, very compilable, LISP-derived language
but with objects "from the ground up".  That is, smoothly 
integrated.  The book is free from Apple, write to
dylan-comments@cambridge.apple.com; there will be a few
commercially available implementations Real Soon Now.
Dec Research did a Dylan->Scheme compiler for free,
FTP to gatekeeper.dec.com.  
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
From: COS.MARSHALL@GLASGOW-POLY.AC.UK
Subject: JOBS: Re : Salaries
Originator: hlab@stein.u.washington.edu
Organization: University of Washington
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 14:49:00 GMT


As an addendum to my last message, I got the impression that Willie
(macris@nsd.fmc.com) understood that you _needed_ a Phd do get a VR
job, I never said that :) .

-Iain

cos.marshall@glasgow-poly.ac.uk

"Even better than the REAL thing..." -Bono
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
From: tyrone@wmsa.att.com (Tyrone Shiu)
Subject: PUBS: PCVR magazine, recommendation?
Originator: hlab@milton.u.washington.edu
Organization: AT&T
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 15:24:55 GMT



Hi:

I received an e-mail about a magazine call PCVR.  The topics sound
interesting.  Is it worth subscribing?  Any comment is appreciated.

+--------------------------------+
| Tyrone Shiu                    |
| Phone: 908-615-4654            |
| Email: tyrone@cbnewsi.att.com  |
+--------------------------------+

[MODERATOR'S NOTE: I visited the PCVR booth at the Meckler VR 92
conference and looked through the copies of PCVR there.  Yes, I highly
recommend this journal (it's more like a quarterly book) for people
working toward virtual worlds on PCs.  The depth of the material is
truly impressive and the code looks spot on.  You have to believe, of
course, that PCs are where this is all going.... -- Bob Jacobson]
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
From: jlb31348@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Jim Brain)
Subject: TECH: U of I PGSI update 10-5-92
Originator: hlab@milton.u.washington.edu
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 16:20:41 GMT



The Printed Circuit Boards are in production (well, for the
prototypes, anyway).  I think it is time to give some answers to
people on the net who have come into this discussion late, so I will
post a FAQ later in the week.

For those who do know about this, note that the orders are prepaid
with a 5 week period to manufacture.  If you have any questions,
please email me

Still working on the code and concentrating on the hardware, but all
is rolling.

I talked to ACM National yesterday about legalities, so I should have
an answer in a few days.  The U f I is doing the legal issues here, so
that will be decided late october.

All the legalities concern wording, not manufacture, so worry not.

Stay tuned for some FAQs and more info, but all is on hold as of now
due to a GRE on Sat.  Wish me luck.

-- 
Jim Brain, Power Glove Serial Interface Project Leader (for the summer)
brain@cs.uiuc.edu
Yes, my last name REALLY is BRAIN!
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
From: dwang@ad-11.naitc.com (Dontin Wang)
Subject: PHIL: Is driving a car employing VR?
Originator: hlab@milton.u.washington.edu
Organization: AC Nielsen Co.
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 17:14:51 GMT



Hello,

Recently, I've been having a discussion with a few people, no one of
us really being a VR expert, so I would like to get feedback from
people who are.

I posed for consideration that elements of the experience of driving a
car resemble the experiences that VR technology is trying to create.
Specifically, I think that the tires and shock absorbers of a car are
creating a different-than-reality feel of the road for the driver,
which is much like what VR technology can do for the road, too.  A
smooth comfortable ride doesn't always mean that road doesn't have
bumps and cracks.  Same with the windows, (and frame) which are
creating a quiet and comfortable environment despite the rushing wind
and freezing rain.  And same with anti-lock brakes and
traction-control systems, which mask the fact that the road surface is
slippery.

I am really curious to see if other people agree or disagree with this
(and of course, why).

Of course, answering this question requires (I think) answering what
exactly qualifies as "virtual."  I think that virtual simply means
different than the original, so that a virtual reality is simply all
the elements of the original reality with (optionally) some
differences.  I would also be curious to learn how other people are
defining it (or what the correct or accepted definition is).

Thank you.
d/wang
-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dontin Wang
dwang@nis.naitc.com


[MODERATOR'S NOTE:  William Bricken has noted that an automobile is
the world's largest exoskeleton.  Driving a car is telepresence. --
Bob Jacobson]
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
From: ml4477@csc.albany.edu (   Sting   )
Subject: Re: PUBS: PCVR magazine, recommendation?
Originator: hlab@stein.u.washington.edu
Organization: State University of New York at Albany
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 19:10:03 GMT



I am interested in PCVR.  Could someone e-mail me the subscription
information and address?   Thanks......


  ___________________________________________________________________________
 /    **   ****                                    |     World Cup 1994      \
|    **   **  **   Marc A. Lefebvre                |        --USA--           |
|   **   **    **   Computer Science Department    |"He shoots ... he scores!"|
|  **   **  *   **   University of Albany          |--------------------------|
| *******  ********                                | "Don't Drink and Derive" |
|               "I'd rather be Windsurfing!"       `--------------------------|
|  ml4477@sarah.albany.edu   ml4477@rachel.albany.edu   marc@nick.csh.rit.edu |
 \___________________________________________________________________________/
From: jpc@tauon.ph.unimelb.edu.au (John Costella)
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
Subject: Re: PUBS: Publications worth reading? [Excellent list -
Date: 8 Oct 92 10:03:37 GMT
Organization: University of Washington
Originator: hlab@milton.u.washington.edu



> Here is a list of some overview-type items, including books, articles
> and videotapes:

Does anyone know if any of the videotapes listed (or others) are
available in PAL format with copies in Australia?

Thanks,

John

---------------------------
     John P. Costella
The University of Melbourne

jpc@tauon.ph.unimelb.edu.au

    Tel: +61 3 543-7795
---------------------------
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
From: bluefire@well.sf.ca.us (Bob Jacobson)
Subject: WORLDESIGN Open House, Oct 25, 28-30, 1992
Originator: hlab@milton.u.washington.edu
Organization: WORLDESIGN, Seattle
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 07:23:37 GMT



WORLDESIGN OPEN HOUSE TO FEATURE NEW FIRM'S HOPES AND DREAMS

For those who need one more good reason to attend the HIT Lab's
Industry Symposium on Virtual Worlds Technology, in Seattle on Oct.
26-27, there's WORLDESIGN's Open House, bracketing the HIT Lab event.
You are welcome by our new digs in scenic, former Norwegian fishing
village, Ballard (5348-1/2 Ballard Avenue), about a 20 minute car ride
from the HIT Lab and the University of Washington.  We'll do several
short seminars on information design each day depending on demand.

Come by and see how we're setting up and what it is we intend to do,
with whom.  Please send email for reservations or fax your intention
to visit.  It's not necessary to RSVP but it will help us to plan for
a more comfortable time.

The dates to remember are:

                Sun, Oct 25:  WORLDESIGN Grand Opening
                Mon, Oct 26:  HIT Lab Industry Symposium
                Tue, Oct 27:  HIT Lab Industry Symposium
                Wed, Oct 28:  WORLDESIGN Open House
                              HIT Lab Virtual Worlds Consortium
                Thu, Oct 29:  WORLDESIGN Open House
                Fri, Oct 30:  WORLDESIGN Open House

If you come to Seattle and don't leave time for visiting us and getting
out in nature, you're really missing it....

Bob Jacobson
President
WORLDESIGN, Inc.

bluefire@well.sf.ca.us
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
From: "John Curtis, Hort+Research CRI, Hamilton, NZ" <CURTISJ@ruakura.cri.nz>
Subject: Re: JOBS: Salaries...
Originator: hlab@stein.u.washington.edu
Organization: University of Washington
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1992 21:34:33 GMT


One of my major gripes with the "marketplace" is programmers receiving (as was
previously stated): 

>>REAL WORLD SALARIES:
>>Software Engineers/Programmers:    30K - 75K
>>Systems/Network Engineers:         30K - 55K

when salespeople are getting easily up to three times that amount simply 
because they are the ones directly generating cash.  In my experience many of 
these salespeople fail to keep up with the play.  When entering the business 
they may have known all the technology inside out, but quickly become puppets 
of their parent companies and cease to recommend solutions to their clients 
that incorporate new technologies.

I can sense myself getting into trouble here, as this is a broad generalisation 
but nevertheless one I find to be predominantly true.  (Can you tell I'm a 
programmer?)

Getting back to the point in question(!):  companies solely producing VR 
products are going to be short of funds in the short term, so shares in the 
company for employees seem the only sensible solution, and one that will bind 
their group closer too.  I can forsee hundreds of "little" VR companies 
struggling for a share in the market, and many will fold without getting 
anywhere.  This is the same when any new market opens, with the initial gold 
rush, followed by a thinning out to only a few select, major players.

Being a "VR programmer" is a myth - programmers in computer graphics have been 
around for ages.  e.g. If I created a 3-D model 25 years ago to print on a 
plotter, refined it 15 years ago to work on a screen, refined it further to 
work a colour screen 10 years ago, tomorrow I can plug in a HMD and it's still 
the same program.  "VR programmers" are simply adapting graphics to another 
(essentially identical) output format.  Audio processing is likewise, an old 
technology simply moving with the times to make use of DSPs etc.

I'll climb down from my soapbox now.  Thank you.
From: COS.MARSHALL@GLASGOW-POLY.AC.UK
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
Subject: JOBS: Re:What salaries are (and should be) in this field
Date: 8 Oct 92 14:31:09 GMT
Article-I.D.: u.1992Oct9.053037.17960
Organization: University of Washington
Originator: hlab@milton.u.washington.edu



Interesting that this issue should be brought up, because I'm
seriously looking for a job in VR, preferably in the Los Angeles area,
maybe scheduled for next year sometime. If anyone has any info on the
VR job situation in LA, drop me an e-mail.

   VR in the UK is spreading, but for me the US has the industry and
the financial backing for this area which I think will be a major
influence on the quality and quantity of research.

   As for the salary, I'm not entirely sure about US salaries, but
this is a specialist area, and salaries should be designated to
reflect this. At this stage VR research is still at doctorate degree
level, so I'd certainly say 25k+ pounds, I think thats about $45k -
$50k.

   Its a bit early to say who gets what for what because probably all
of us are still doing much the same, there are not really any big VR
project managers or leaders as opposed to a bottom-of-the-salary-scale
programmer.

-Iain Marshall

cos.marshall@glasgow-poly.ac.uk

"Even better than the REAL thing..." -Bono
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
From: bobp@hal.com (Bob Pendleton)
Subject: Re: SCI: Object behavior in VR
Originator: hlab@stein.u.washington.edu
Organization: HaL Computer Systems, Inc.
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 21:40:23 GMT


>From article <1992Oct10.175203.17890@u.washington.edu>, by squish@hitl.washingt
on.edu (Michael Almquist):
> 
> 
> Just some thoughts and some random babbling:
> 
>>If I'm not mistaken (and someone will surely correct me if I am)
>>Scheme uses garbage collection to return unused cons cells to the free
>>list, just like LISP.  Seems to me that it's unacceptable to have the
>>virtual world freeze for a moment to let the interpreter clean up
>>after itself.
> 
> Yes.  What can one do?  SmallTalk is the only package (to the best of
> my knowledge) that uses generation scavanging (NOT "generational" GC -
> its GS).

All the high performance graphics systems I know of use dynamic
storage allocation and a very simple garbage collection system. It's
called reference counting.

Since the reference count is only modified when you change a
reference, wich isn't very often, there is very little overhead for
garbage collection. And since dead items are reclaimed immediately there is
rarely a noticeable delay for garbage collection.

Works great, can be a pain to program into a system if you can't
overload assignment. Sadly, reference counting has a bad name in the
LISP community.

>>Now the question is, why use Forth?  I don't really see any advantages
>>myself, except those that rely on the simplicity of the interperter.
> 
> BUZZ!  Its obvious this statement was made without peering into the
> depths of Forth.  Forth is a language IMHO that never did receive the
> praise it deserved.

As someone who has done (admittedly, quite some time ago) a number of
FORTH systems, including a commercial grade compiler, and a few
experimental LISP systems (incliding a compiler), IMHO a dialect of
LISP would be superior for the job to a dialect of FORTH.

BUT, remember folks, PostScript IS a dialect of FORTH and has a long
history of providing good graphics capabilities in peculiar places.

The main reason for using any kind of an interpreter is that (again
IMHO) sending program strings from one machine to another is a better
way to implement a protocol (the PostScript model) than just sending
commands (the X model).

You also have to think about what kind of a development environment
you want. Embed an interpreter in an editor and display the VR in
another window and you have something where you can fiddle around and
play and get immediate responce. Make people wait for minutes to get a
responce to a change and the only people that will use it are
programmers. :-)

Finally, if you can interpret it, you can compile it. Build it using
an interpretive environment, compile it, and run it faster.

                                Bob P.

-- 
Bob Pendleton             | As an engineer I hate to hear:
bobp@hal.com              |   1) You've earned an "I told you so."
Speaking only for myself. |   2) Our customers don't do that.
                   <<< Odin, after the well of Mimir. >>>
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds