The development of SGML2VRML and CML2VRML filters. CML is a chemistry based SGML dtd being developed at Imperial. This in turn will impinge on the form of electronic journals of the future. Current generations of VRML browsers do not support disk caching. Although a compressed VRML description of a medium sized molecule is perhaps a factor of ten more compact than a 24-bit JPEG image, with more complex scenes the ratio can reverse.
Network bandwidth needs to be carefully considered.
We need to understand the implications of this and other developments. We need to address the issues of how University teaching might change with increasing use of such tools. Using VRML in a collaborative environment. This is a top priority among the VRML community. Imperial have already developed a prototype may be able to play a significant role here.