Research

Monterey Conference Survey Results, February 2000

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Browsers and Plug-ins
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3D Browser Survey

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We would like to thank all the people who took time to fill out our survey at the Web3D Symposium! The responses were candid and illuminating...

Here's a quick review of the response, followed by a detailed list of answers.

What's your beef with VRML?
90% of our respondents look favorably upon VRML, but almost half of the respondents don't think VRML achieved what it set out to do. Frequent browser crashes and hassle with plug-ins are thought to be the biggest downsides.

Foundation for 3D
VRMLs biggest achievements are considered providing a good foundation for 3D web and making it available for everyone. Or as one respondent put it: "getting Web 3D started and providing something to improve, expand, explore and complain about."

Will X3D unite the industry?
Although one half of the respondents sees X3D end up as just another 3D web choice, the other half thinks it will unite the industry.

Buzzword in 2003?
According to most of our respondents 3D web will be the buzzword in 2003. The standards to meet for web 3D ubiquity are srandardization, browser reliability, high bandwidth and speed. Compelling content and 3D games-like visualization will boost the 3D web.

(Least) Favorite browsers
Cosmoplayer scores high is the ranks of favorite browsers followed by Cortona and Contact. Quite a few respondents consider the last one as their least favorite browser.


Personal Information

3D Technology
Chip Speeds?
166 5%
200 7.5%
233 2.5%
333 2.5%
350 2.5%
400 5%
450 10%
500 12.5%
550 2.5%
600 20%
650 2.5%
660 2.5%
What is your main
platform/OS?
Win 95 5%
Win 98 20%
NT 42.5%
Win 2K 5%
Mac 5%
Unix 2.5%
Linux 5%
Irix 7.5%
No answer 2.5%

Do you build 3D content?
Yes 77.5%
No 12.5%
No answer 10%


3D Web Industry Questionnaire

Others (summary of answers):
content interoperability·plug-in installation·too long to download/crashes·lack of good user interface controls·lack of usable/productive everyday 3D applications·perceived need·user interface education·platform support·lack of reliable delivery of content·users haven't been ready·lack of compressed binary format for VRML·interface hardware


(some respondents circled more than one)

Amongst others were:
Blaxxun, Java, Pulse, Blendo, Gluicw, Viscape


Will X3D
Succeed in uniting the industry 42.5%
End up shunned like VRML 2.5%
Become just another 3D web choice 42.5%
No answer 12.5%

Do you look upon VRML favorably?
Yes 90%
No 10%

Did VRML achieve what it set out to do?
Yes 90%
No 10%


Why does VRML have such a bad name?

does it have a bad name?

Boring · too little compelling content · not enough visualization · perceived as dead · people expect 3D to look like 3D games

browser/plug-in hassles · high expectations/bad delivery · first try always has problems · lack of streaming · browser incompatabilities · too slow ·

victim of SGI marketing machine · corporate confusion · bad press

lack of standards · poor understanding by the public · overhyped

What are VRML's biggest achievements?

Manipulable 3D objects smaller than average 3DS Max file, i.e. 3D for web is a reality · Good foundation for 3D · The possibility to work with non-linearity and multi-dimensionality

Becoming a standard! · Open standard · Open worlds

Can be used to deliver content to a relatively large user group · Making 3D available/ affordable to vast population · 3D access by public-standard and first

Easy 3D · It works! · Good for beginners · Ease of teaching 3D concepts

Web 3D roundup

Allows a true representation of "real" life

3D on the web at low bandwidth

Getting Web 3D started and providing something to improve, expand, explore and complain about

What are VRML's biggest drawbacks?

Browser still not there · Most apps are "clunky"/navigation is unintuitive · Control interfaces, ease of use · File format · You have to download a plug-in · Technology not supportive until recently

It was standardized while consumer PC and graphics cards couldn't handle 3D content in apps

Big file sizes · Slow content/slow computers · lack of binary format · Creation tools · Inconsistent

Hard to figure out coordinate system when programming · Bad name · Slow, compared to "game" engines

Marketing· It's not extensible

Has corporate policy helped or hurt the 3D Web industry?

Hurt so far-everyone has a different browser · It does hurt that companies won't follow an open standard · Hurt-short sighted policies, unstable development, shakes customer confidence · Lack of vision

The drive to be online and running, as opposed to running right, has been a problem in the internet design world in general ·

Not sure ·

Consortium internal strife has hampered development ·

Helps in setting standards but also restricts growth somewhat · Does a bit of both

No, competition is good, but eventually some standard should be used · Helped-the power of businesses is much larger than that of "hobby" groups · As soon as compelling content is created, people will come

What is the best application for the 3D Web?

Information · visualization · Education · Product visualizations · Games · E commerce

OpenWorlds · Art, museums, kids TV·3D greeting cards · Cosmo worlds · Telemedicine

Virtual communities · Java 3D·Multi-user space · Multi-user communities where you can be someone not necessarily related to who you are in real life · Human animation

Entertainment and science · Building software in 3D

What is your chief use of the 3D Web?

Scientific visualization · Sharing architectural design with clients · Chemistry simulation·

Develop a VRML toolkit · E commerce · Data vis · Developer tools · Demos of my own stuff ·

Entertainment · Teaching others how · Artistic work · 3D game · Learning products·

Animation · Research in mulitcast conferencing · Building quickly 3D ideas I have · Navigating large 3D space models · Putting food on the table

When will 3D Web become a buzz word?
2000 5%
2001 5%
2002 20%
2003 52.5%
2004 0
What conditions must be fulfilled for there to be a buzz?

One or no browser · Application must meet expectation · Safe, reliable content viewer · Streaming/Multi-texture

Easier to create · How-to books · Widespread and efficient standard · Unity and good content in visible places · Make plug-ins standard · Ubiquity · Standards · Content

3D on interactive TV · Someone finds a way to make big money off of it · Basic press hype · Consumer demand · Significant number of popular sites having 3D (i.e. CNN, MTV, Ebay)

It must make sense to use it, then it must be used

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