HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: Marcus_Brodeur@dream.uucp (Marcus Brodeur)
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk.tech
Subject: Re: 3d and Obsolete
Date: 17 Nov 92 01:01:03 GMT
Organization: DreamStates BBS & CyberNet HQ in G'ville, FL   1-904-331-4317

On the subject of what 3D glasses would do for our monocular friend here, I
wonder.  A few years back, LC Technologies came out with something called
StereoTek for the old Atari ST.  I had a pair of these suckers, and they
were very interesting.

Basically, instead of the red-blue nonsense, the lenses of these goggles
were composed of a liquid crystal lattice.  There were wires connected to
each of these lenses separately.  I don't remember exactly how these things
worked, but it seems to me that the 3D rendering software would prompt the
3D goggles through the electronic interface.  When the current was flowing
in one direction, all the crystals would face in the same direction, like
an open shutter, and you could see right through the lens.  When the
current in the wire reversed, they would all swing in unison in the
electric field shut, blocking visibility.  Basically, the 3D software would
close the right lens and open the left one, and for that brief interval of
time display the view for the left eye.  Then, a fraction of a second
later, it would slam shut the left lens, open the right one, turn the 3D
perspective 3 degrees to simulate the angular difference between the human
eyes, re-render and display the image.  It would keep alternating between
showing the left eye view and right eye view at something like 70 Hz
(whatever the raster of your monitor was).

I found the effect to be very impressive in a darkened room.  In a daylit
room, light interference and washout were a problem.  The illusion of depth
was profound.  And even on this old Atari ST (goodness, what were they?  8
MHz machines, if that), you could do real-time wireframe rendering in this
true stereoscopy mode with the goggles, rotating the image with the mouse
while viewing it as it floated "outside the monitor" in front of you.  If
that was all possible on an Atari ST 4 years ago, then what incredible
abilities the hardware of today could offer, I wonder?

!!!!! T  E   M    P     U      S      F     U    G   I  T !!!!!

-- Via DLG Pro v0.995
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk.tech
From: rene@hal.et.tudelft.nl (Rene Bodenstaff)
Subject: Re: Write a short story
Organization: Delft University of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 22:46:14 GMT

In article <9211232013.AA03165@magnusug.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>, Martin A Laster <mlaster@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> writes:
> 
> This is for all you creative story writers.  Let's see how well you can write.
> 
> If you could create a character for you to be for only one night at your
> favorite night club, what would you think would happen that night at that
> club.  Explain in detail the following;
>  
> 	1) your character (i.e. employee, user)
> 	2) your night at the club (i.e. things you did, people you met)
>   
> Please keep it as realistic as possible, but also creative as possible.
> This is for a study that I am doing for a night club owner who is planning
> to open a new club.
> 
> Send all replies to this post to vlusane@magnusug.acs.ohio-state.edu
> 
> Have Fun !!!!!!!!!
> 
> Thank you
>
 
  How much does this night club owner pay me ?
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk.tech
From: Martin A Laster <mlaster@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>
Subject: Write a short story
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 20:13:52 GMT


This is for all you creative story writers.  Let's see how well you can write.

If you could create a character for you to be for only one night at your
favorite night club, what would you think would happen that night at that
club.  Explain in detail the following;
 
	1) your character (i.e. employee, user)
	2) your night at the club (i.e. things you did, people you met)
  
Please keep it as realistic as possible, but also creative as possible.
This is for a study that I am doing for a night club owner who is planning
to open a new club.

Send all replies to this post to vlusane@magnusug.acs.ohio-state.edu

Have Fun !!!!!!!!!

Thank you
From: colin@Cayman.COM (Colin "Atilla" Steele)
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk.tech
Subject: Re: Cyberpunk Movement
Date: 23 Nov 92 16:14:51 GMT
Organization: Cayman Systems Inc., Cambridge, MA
In-reply-to: langston@memstvx1.memst.edu's message of 17 Nov 92 18:05:45 GMT

In article <1992Nov17.120546.4112@memstvx1.memst.edu> langston@memstvx1.memst.edu (Mark C. Langston) writes:

>eat Cheerios for breakfast.  "I wanna be stereotyped! I wanna be classified!"
>                                              - Circle Jerks
						^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Descendants (AKA All), not the Circle Jerks. :-)
--


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Colin Steele     | Cayman Systems, 26 Landsdowne St., Cambridge, MA 02139
 colin@cayman.com | (617) 494-1916 x209 | applelink D0523 | Fax (617) 494-9270
 
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From: aburtc@acad2.alaska.edu
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk.tech
Subject: Sega VR Glasses(where?)
Date: 19 Nov 92 23:33:26 GMT
Organization: University of Alaska


   Where can one get the SEGA VR GLASSES??? How much? and do they only work
with an IBM clone or can one use a MAC? And how good are they?

                                            Asspk
From: aragorn@convex.csd.uwm.edu (Steven J.)
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk.tech
Subject: Re: Write a short story
Date: 23 Nov 1992 22:17:19 GMT
Organization: Jobs With Peace at UWM
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: 129.89.7.30

mlaster@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Martin A Laster) writes:
: 
: This is for all you creative story writers.  Let's see how well you can write.
: 
: If you could create a character for you to be for only one night at your
: favorite night club, what would you think would happen that night at that
: club.  Explain in detail the following;
[text deleted]

You should check out alt.chatsubo.  This is pretty much what the fiction is
like that gets posted to this newsgroup.


______________________________________________________
Steve J. White
my virtual spheres of consciousness can be reached at:
aragorn@convex.csd.uwm.edu
aragorn@csd4.csd.uwm.edu
From: carlsoje@cda.mrs.umn.edu (Joel E. Carlson 1625773)
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk.tech
Subject: Re: CyberFad
Date: 22 Nov 92 23:34:11 GMT
Organization: University of Minnesota - Morris

The Nerds and thier fist-full of zeros and ones will rule the world!
    
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+Joel Carlson				|  History, read it and weep!
carlsoje@cda.mrs.umn.edu            	| 
University of Minnesota, Morris         |  Kurt Vonnegut
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk.tech
From: tww2568@sigma.tamu.edu (WEEKS, THOMAS WILLIAM)
Subject: LCD Galsses
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: Texas A&M University, Academic Computing Services
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 18:05:00 GMT

How are you using LCD glasses with a non-interlaced display?

Thomas Weeks
From: 003316g@ace.acadiau.ca (STEPHEN EDWARD ELLIOTT GREGORY)
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk.tech
Subject: Re: Cyberpunk Movement
Date: 17 Nov 92 16:05:05 GMT
Organization: Acadia University

In article <17NOV199209402259@scsuc.ctstateu.edu> brenckle@scsuc.ctstateu.edu (BRENCKLE,NICHOLAS) writes:

>Why does it always come down to the stereotype of the hermit with little
>pride in one's appearance? I, for one, take great care [well, about as 
>much as everyone else I suppose] in how I look. 

>Music? What does that have to do with cyberpunk? Especially the tech end?
>(This group, no?) 

>As for 'buzzwords', they exist in almost every 'culture', for lack of a 
>better word. No matter what job you take, or hobby you pick up, you
>will learn hundreds of 'buzzwords' and new jargon galore. Why? I'm not
>really sure but this is hardly new or central to the cyberpunk movement.

>Can't really remember anything else in the argument left to refute. Basically
>what I'm saying is that those interested in cyberpunk and the "movement"
>are just the same as everyone else. The full spectrum of people are here. 


>-Nick
>I don't listen to Ministry, don;t play RPG and don't even know anyone arrested
>by the FBI! What kind of cyber person am I?


	I believe that I'm a *Cyberpuck* due to my love of tech. I'm a pure 
and simple techno-rat. I will always try to get the most technologically 
advanced piece of hardware possible. Other then that I believe myself to be 
as normal as any other student.

The nearly perfect sig:
Steve                                             003316g@ace.acadiau.ca
From: aragorn@convex.csd.uwm.edu (Steven J.)
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk.tech
Subject: Re: Cyberpunk Movement
Date: 17 Nov 1992 18:56:39 GMT
Organization: Jobs With Peace at UWM
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: 129.89.7.30

brenckle@scsuc.ctstateu.edu (BRENCKLE,NICHOLAS) writes:
: 
: As for 'buzzwords', they exist in almost every 'culture', for lack of a 
: better word. No matter what job you take, or hobby you pick up, you
: will learn hundreds of 'buzzwords' and new jargon galore. Why? I'm not
: really sure but this is hardly new or central to the cyberpunk movement.

This is a simple social phenomenon.  People want their own group to be
special and this is accomplished by developing a lingo that is, more often
then not, not understood by those not in the group.  A good example that
springs to mind is the GM.  Most people in the world would think it means
General Motors when many people realize that it means game master.  This is
obviously a more functional use of lingo but there are others which are not
as functional as far as having a cross-societal connection.


______________________________________________________
Steve J. White
my virtual spheres of consciousness can be reached at:
aragorn@convex.csd.uwm.edu
aragorn@csd4.csd.uwm.edu
From: tww2568@venus.tamu.edu (WEEKS, THOMAS WILLIAM)
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk.tech
Subject: 3D Glasses
Date: 23 Nov 1992 11:27 CST
Organization: Texas A&M University, Academic Computing Services
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: venus.tamu.edu
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    

Dave L.: Thats how the Amigas X-Specs work also... The display is run at NTSC
standard of 30 fps interlaced signal.  After 1/60th sec, 1/2 of the interlaced
signal is on screen and the second 1/60th sec the other 1/2 of the interlaced
signal in complete. Like This...
1st image @ 60th sec -------------------------------------------------
    2nd image        +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 		     -------------------------------------------------
		     +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
                     -------------------------------------------------
                     +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
                     -------------------------------------------------

etc... for a total 3-D  image w/refresh rate of 30fps....

incidently, the AMiga was designed for vido work and thats one of it's screen
modes (640x400) is an NTSC standard interlaced signal....

Thomas Weeks
From: Marcus_Brodeur@dream.uucp (Marcus Brodeur)
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk.tech
Subject: Re: TV glasses and VR
Date: 17 Nov 92 00:49:44 GMT
Organization: DreamStates BBS & CyberNet HQ in G'ville, FL   1-904-331-4317

Hmm...this has been a question plaguing me for some time on the VR topic:

Precisely what kind of VR goggles are available hardware-wise on the
consumer market for VR systems design and programming?  

I do not necessarily mean which platforms or software packages are
available to complement these goggles...just the raw goggles...what's
available?

More to the point, have any medical studies been done to monitor the effect
such close-up video exposure has on the human eye?  I mean, would wearing a
pair of these goggles for 5 hours straight every day for a year harm your
eyes...or would it just give you gridlock...or neither?  Again - what's
available?

When responding to this post, please be sure to point out the limitations
on the use of the hardware you are indicating.  For instance:  flat
binocular vision (same image both eyes), flat stereo vision (different 3D
presentations for each eye), or true stereoscopy (real-time 3 degree
rotation of image presented to left eye for presentation to right eye to
give true depth perception).

I'd appreciate a response to this, as now that the conversation has
shuffled into "Home brew VR", we really need to take stock of just *what*
is available in the way of hardware to start work with.  Programming's
nice, but until you have some equipment, you're programming vapor.

!!!!! T  E   M    P     U      S      F     U    G   I  T !!!!!

-- Via DLG Pro v0.995
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk.tech
From: matrix@well.sf.ca.us (Frank Dunn)
Subject: NEW BOOK ON VIRTUAL REALITY, FOREWORD BY JARON LANIER
Organization: Matrix Information Services
Date: Tue, 24 Nov 1992 01:46:32 GMT



There is a new book available on the topic of VR.



       SILICON MIRAGE: THE ART AND SCIENCE OF VIRTUAL REALITY
            by Steven Aukstakalnis and David Blatner

   FOREWORD BY JARON LANIER, FOUNDER AND CHIEF SCIENTIST, VPL RESEARCH.




The first two paragraphs of the Foreword read as follows:


"Reading this book is a delight for me because it fills a suprisingly
long-standing gap in the literature of virtual reality. For the
enormous amount of interest and activity that virtual reality has 
inspired over the last few years, it is absolutely remarkable that I 
have had no book to recommend to people who come to me with the simple
question, 'What can I read to understand what this is all about?' I
feel that now there is such a book, and you are holding it in your hands.

Silicon Mirage is organized around the human sense organs, and this is
entirely appropriate. Virtual reality is distinct from other 
configurations of computer technology in that it places the human being
in the center. When we work with virtual reality systems, we begin with 
the question, "What, exactly, is a human body and how might we design
a machine that will most comfortably suit the natural modes of 
perception and action of a person?" So I am delighted to see an 
exposition that starts with the human body and nervous system and treats
the virtual reality equipment as transient attempts to mirror that
biological invarient."
----

In a clear, easy to understand style, Silicon Mirage covers everything
from the underlying mechanisms of sight, hearing and the sense of touch,
through the design of head-mounted displays, binaural 3-D sound, and
tactile/force feedback devices. There are also chapters on the human 
factors considerations of immersive VR systems, applications from a 
broad cross-section of industries and more.


SILICON MIRAGE: THE ART AND SCIENCE OF VIRTUAL REALITY
by Aukstakalnis and Blatner

328 pgs, 120+ photos and illus, 4 pgs. color plates, pub Nov. 1992
by Peachpit Press (ISBN 0-938151-82-7).

PRICE: $15.00

Available at bookstores across N. America the day after Thanksgiving
or immed. by sending a check or money order for $15.00 + $5 for 
P/H to:


Matrix Information Services
Book Dept. 
18560 Bungalow Drive
Lathrup Village, MI 48076
(313) 559-1526
(313) 559-1436 (Fax)
matrix@well.sf.ca.us


Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk.tech
From: martink@NeoSoft.com (Martin Koistinen)
Subject: Re: CyberFad
Organization: NeoSoft Communications Services -- (713) 684-5900
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1992 04:13:57 GMT
Summary: My explanation of it all

In article <19NOV199211353461@sigma.tamu.edu>, tww2568@sigma.tamu.edu (WEEKS, THOMAS WILLIAM) writes:
> MacBeth:
> 
> I agree in so much that the MAJORITY (as to not accused of over generalization)
> of the CyberPunks are into the fashion and appeal of technology, and yet could
> not distinguish an RS232 Driver from a UART...   
> 
> Thats not what bothers be so much as the apparent over sized ego that seems
> to permiate from their conversations due to the wealth of buzz words that they
> have accumilated via M2000 and various other Techno Flap type publications.
> 
> Don't get e wrong... I kind of enjoy flipping through M2000 when I can get 
> my hands on a copy... I find it kind of a relief from living in my Engineering
> Text Book world of 'Hard Core Hardware'. 
> 
> It was explained to be via an E-Mail post from this group, that the CP movement
> is more of a fashion/entertainment fad than anything else, however, I am sure 
> that there are thos out there that take it much more seriously than that and to
> them, more power to ya... Just one word reccomendation however:
> "The wisdom of an individual is sometimes seen by the ratio of 
> listening/talking."  
> 
> As I think I said previously... There is always someonoe out there that knows
> more than you, and blabbing a lot is good way to find them...
> 
> Thomas Weeks
> 


I think what you will find is that for at least myself the emergence of
Techno-culture  means social exceptance for people like me. I mean, I have
always be labeled as a 'nerd' or 'technoid' by many (IMHO) Techno-phobics.
For an example, there is this guy at work (who reminds me COMPLETELY of Al
Bundy from 'Married with Children') who always labels me as a 'technoid'
because I know alot about computers. This is the same guy who has to ask
me EVER time he uses a computer something trivial like "can I put my Mac
disk in my fathers IBM at home and work on this letter at home". Now this
guy was a football player in HS and college and he thinks he's cool but, I
think he's a complete dork. Anyway, He has this stranges sense that he is
better because he is ignorant of technical things. I have always strived
to learn about technology and at the same time, I have felt that society
has branded me a undesirable nerd. 
 
Enter technoculture.
 
I have been liberated. Now I can feel free to express my
technical/artistic thoughts through any traditional medium and through
some new cyber-mediums and society not only accepts it, they desire it.
Its marketable, Its fashionable. 
 
The emergence of techno-culture has made all of the nerds of the 80's into
fashion experts in the 90's. I think M2000 is a statement to all of the
above. This is the beginning. Now that there is acceptance to be
technically aware, Cyberpunk will truly emerge. Man will finally accept
machine into the meat to make strength
 
Martin Koistinen - martink@neosoft.com
-- 
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk.tech
From: MACDONAN@UK.AC.BHAM.IBM3090
Subject: art and technology
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 12:30:29 GMT
Organization: The University of Birmingham, United Kingdom

ideas for a miniconference in the UK on art and technology please??
possibly for spring '94 with an emphasis on use of technology in
the performing arts....
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk.tech
From: dave@admiral.uucp (Dave Litchman)
Subject: Re: TV glasses and VR
Organization: The Admiral's Unix System & The Grid BBS
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 00:43:26 GMT

In article <Marcus_Brodeur.03bi@dream.uucp> Marcus_Brodeur@dream.uucp (Marcus Brodeur) writes:
>In a message dated Sun 15 Nov 92  6:24, Dleclair@netlink.cts.com (douglas L
>wrote:
>
> DL>         Actually ultra-thin glasses that are LCD-color based have
> DL> been 
> DL> out for sometime now. I read it in the Trends section of Omni about 2
> DL> 
> DL> years ago, so this is not really new technology. Although I am sure 
> DL> improvements have been made since the first prototype a few years
> DL> back. 
> DL> This invention _MAY_ change VR, but what about cost? Cost is going to
> DL> be  
> DL> relatively high until mass production is intiated, and even then it
> DL> will 
> DL> most probably become obsolete, like everything else :)
>
>The pair of true 3D stereoscopic liquid crystal display glasses I mentioned
>for the Atari ST, with adaptor and software, cost $250 4 years ago.  Of
>course, I don't know what the more advanced models of today might cost, but
>that gives you something to start on.

Those glasses (Stereotek) are no longer being produced. I've seen them 
advertised, used, for about $50. 


-- 
"Dammit Jim, I'm a free man, not a number!"
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Ray, when somebody asks you if you're a god, you say YES!" -- Winston Zeddmore
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk.tech
From: dstampe@psych.toronto.edu (Dave Stampe)
Subject: Re: Widespread Amiga-VR Implementation.
Organization: Department of Psychology, University of Toronto
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 14:47:57 GMT

 watpod72@olaf.carleton.ca (George Bragg) writes:

>>"Pteradactyl" VR game that has already appeared in certain select locations
>>in California and overseas (notably Japan) has at its core a couple of
>>interlinked Amiga 3000's crunching the real-time virtual reality graphics.
>
>>Definitely something to take account of, considering the Amiga's
>>well-earned reputation as a fantastic graphics/sound machine.  The newer
>
>For the last time, the VR Dactyl game is NOT using the Amiga graphics
>chips.  They have their own, customized chips becasue even the vaunted
>Amiga's chips were way too slow at the time the thing was built (a
>year ago).  I'm sure the Amiga is very good at graphics, but it
>wasn't good enough in this case.-- 

Just to throw things even _more_ in doubt:

I had a chance to test the Virtuality system in St. Louis a week ago.  Now
I've built my own VR system, using REND386, a single 486/50 PC, VGA
cards, a HMD mode from mini B&W TVs, a Nintendo Powerglove and a joystick.
My head tracker uses a video camera and card I developed a year ago.

Now...  this system performed _better_ than the Virtuality system in many
ways.  The field of view in the Virtuality HMD is pitiful.  My system uses 
cheap Fresnel lenses and has a 170 degress FOV. What really bothered me,
though, is the slowness and long latency (head or joystick movement to 
change in the scene).  I've run for hours in my system with nary a problem
(except for a sore neck from the heavy HMD) but the Virtuality system
definitely upset my balance for several minutes afterwards.  I'm not
really sure about the drawing rate (after all, they don't give out the
frame rate or how many polygons are in their data base) but I suspect
my system has an edge there too. 

Conclusions?  1) The Virtuality system is accessible, but it's performance
is pretty poor (but it _was_ state of the art 8 months ago).  2) Cost is
not always important: the Virtuality system is over $80,000 (I think), but
my system cost about $600 (and thousand of hours of work, but who's counting?)
3) The technology is evolving rapidly, and it's not a lab or big business
thing exclusively.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 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?|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------