When do computer languages die? The case of VRML adn X3D

[Hiperia3D - Jordi R Cardona]

Hello,

I think that this article of mine may be interesting for our group:

http://news.hiperia3d.com/2009/04/when-do-computer-languages-die.html

This is about when a computer language is considered old, and compares the age of others to VRML. It also shows graphs of the use of VRML that prove that it is still alive.

Feel free to comment anything here or there.

[Steve]

Very nice article Jordi. As you stated, VRML is still used alot.. It has many realtime advantages for Math and Science. It would be be really cool if there was a resurgence of popularity within the 3D community on the web.
Maybe "those" days are behind us but one can wish. ;)

[vcard]

Nice article Jordi and very interesting to this group yes :)

Hope that with these high numbers related to VRML/X3D (1/8 of SL posts-popularity is huge!) the members keep up the enthusiasm and show new cool stuff and worlds to us all.

I would not emphasize a VRML/X3D dilemma, as I see done sometimes, because it is not. They are in the same line of evolution. In my view X3D will grow and in time will take the place of VRML, naturally.
So, to measure the real popularity of "this" technology, we should add VRML statistics with x3D.

Sure, I agree, that years do not define the age of a language, the key aspect is: how well it does the job!
English, French or Portuguese, by the way, etc., are very old "languages" and we still like and depend on them :)

The real problem: community's mood

The real problem is not much with VRML language itself, but with VRML community's mood. People are still hurt with blaxxun, love hurts! :)
Many of us where very dependent on bxx multiuser technology and blaxxun did a lousy job, bugs and no evolution over the years and ... eventually shut down without giving any satisfaction to a legion of followers. Bitmanagement was probably meant to succed blaxxun and technically did a great job with bscontact ... aside from the logo :( , but never invested in a good multiuser server. Yet that gave others the opportunity to do things better, proprietary or free.
(More on this in a interview at mixed3D: http://mixed3d.free.fr/spip/?cat=26 )

In fact I like it much more now. With all the proprietary, free and/or evolving multiuser servers that are supporting VRML or VRML and X3D (is the case of ABNet2), this technology is far better and simpler to deal with and I see more and more people doing great things with code and modelling.

Visit ABnet and technical ABnet Forum at: http://vrmlworld.net

[Bruce Lehmann]

I have said it before and I'll say it again. The people that claim theat a language/technology/platform is dead are usually attempting to promote something else. It is interesting that X3D has not taken off as an upgrade/replacement to VRML, but it is probably because the users of VRML see no need to go there. When I see the things done by people in VRML (Steve's work, for example), it is easy to see why. Too many people are ready to jump on the next "great" idea and don't bother to explore the potential of the technology they already have. For example; in my business we still use Photoshop Version 6. with all the untapped things Photoshop can do, there is no reason to upgrade to CS4 just because it is the latest & greatest. I would guess that most people who use programs probably utilize less than 25% of the software's potential. The same goes for VRML, if all people have ever done is make a few things in Spazz or Cosmo Worlds, etc., they have no idea of the things it will do or that they can do with it. No other platform that I am aware of is as outside program friendly (ie; you can use most 3D modeling programs to create with), or as portable. That is a hUGE advantage. If people don't think so, try using the "prims" in SL., and then try taking them somewhere else.

Just my 2 cents

[Hiperia3D - Jordi R Cardona]

Completely agree with what you all have said. I wrote this article because I was really tired of the "vrml is dead" message, and that is simply not true at all.

As I said, I will look deeper in why I think people are not adopting X3D, but the main reason is that: people don't feel the need, plus: XML syntax is a pain.

You need to write much more when using XML syntax, and the format is less readable by humans compared to the classic VRML encoding. But X3D in classic VRML encoding looks the same a VRML, and has some new nodes that are just great.

But for some strange reason, the Consortium does not want to focus on classic VRML encoding. And the truth is that when people look for a XML format for 3D, they just use COLLADA, not X3D.

Letting people say that stupidity of "vrml is dead" for years has damaged the x3d project.

Anyway, yes, I think that real popularity is vrml+x3d.