From: bar-zeev@tortoise.cis.ohio-state.edu (avi bar-zeev)
Subject: Re: TECH: Text interfaces
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 16:07:39 GMT
Message-ID: <1992Jul24.160739.14623@cis.ohio-state.edu>
Organization: The Ohio State University, Department of Computer and Information Science


In article <1992Jul24.050746.16915@u.washington.edu> Jeremiah.Blatz@dartmouth.edu (Jeremiah Blatz) writes:
>
>As for controling VR through text, which I think was the original point
>of this thread, I think that is impossible, as much of the point of VR
>is displaying more information than can possibly be assimilated using
>other methods.
>
>jeremiah
>jerbl@dartmouth.edu

	Controlling VR through text is probably not the goal of anyone, but
text interfaces still have a role to play even if it may just be transitional.

	Although I understand your point, my philosophy differs in that I
strongly believe that we need to (ultimately) provide any sort of interface
people are most comfortable with.  Lets face it, no two people communicate
in exactly the same way.  Some are predominantly verbal/oral, some are
visual, and some can best express themselves and absorb certain kinds of
information literately.  My goal is not more bandwidth into our brains but
more resonance with the information.  I have to admit that text interfaces
are much more limited for me (and probably for you) but maybe not for someone
with extremely poor spatial relations.  

    That is not to say, a writer, for example, will not prefer
a predominantly oral mode or even that people may be equally
comfortable with all modes.  Choice is empowerment and that should
be, in my view, _one_ of the defining characteristics of VR.

Avi