From: rose@beowulf.ucsd.edu (Dan Rose)
Subject: Re: Cyberspace? Who needs it!
Date: 6 Jun 90 20:30:52 GMT



I, too, have been puzzled by the tendency to equate virtual
reality with cyberspace.  In William Gibson's books (where the
term originated), cyberspace seems to be an alternate reality
that has emerged from an enormously complex global network of
computers.  People can participate in this reality if they use
the right sort of interface ("deck").  In short, cyberspace is
the real world of data, not a simulated world for people.

On the other hand, all of these virtual reality devices (involving
gloves, goggles, etc.) produce the illusion of being in a different,
perhaps imaginary place.  For example, many science fiction books
(including Gibson's) use the idea of virtual reality "telephones"
where you can see and touch the person with whom you're communicating,
though s/he might actually be on another continent or planet.

To me these seem like entirely separate concepts.  One *use* of
virtual reality might be to enable you to experience cyberspace
(perhaps that's what the decks do), but that's saying something
entirely different.

                                        Dan Rose
--
Dan Rose                {ucbvax,decvax,akgua,dcdwest}!sdcsvax!beowulf!rose.uucp
UC San Diego            rose%cs@ucsd.edu