From: M22367@mwvm.mitre.org
Subject: Re: VR and databases
Date: 30 May 1991 12:02:37 EDT
Organization: The MITRE Corporation, McLean VA 22102



IMHO, the representation of data as three dimensional VR objects is extremely
desirable.  A database management system is, after all, an artifact introduced
by the tools we are using (computers).  Once we can manipulate the 'objects' we
are interested in (people, companies, data streams) using 'tools' that are not
available to us in the 'real' world we will have achieved a great deal.

Imagine examining a company's budget by watching the money actually flow in the
door and to the various departments.  Using 'the hand of god', you implement
paper recycling throughout the company.  The money flow does a hiccup from the
initial implementation costs, then the $ flow to the trash bins lessens.  Using
'the hand of god' again, you divert some money from recruiting to R&D.  Much
to your surprise, all the lights in the computer center go out and then the
entire company folds up like a house of cards.  You ask the system for an
explanation and discover the computer center has been desperately trying to
fill several critical positions for months.  You restart the simulation at
the point before you diverted the funds.

You ask for an EEO summary report.  Human figures identifiable as to EEO
category appear, displayed with their size in proportion to their numbers in
the company.  The figures are ghosted by expected reasonable proportions.
Zooming in on the 'female alaskan native disabled veteran' figure, you ask to
see her latest work.

Several new objects appear; stacks of memos, trade journals, reports and a
textbook.  You examine the book - authored by your employee and published
last week by XYZ press.  You generate an achievement award memo for the
employee.

You ask to see which of the other documents are related to the book...

Etc.

Plainly, our world is more three dimensional and 'hyper-linked' than any
*existing* database.  VR and databases are inextricable.  In the long run,
VR may be one of the most important purposes of computer science.