JOVE CRASH...
Well, let me try to get back on the thought train. Oh yes, I
was saying that I decided to give wax web a chance even though
I didn't want to, really (and here's why: there is so much
infotaintment out there these days, I feel the author OWES it
to me to make their production user-friendly, accessible, etc.
This is not to say that it should be insipid; rather, it should
simply be respectful of other people's attention--which
needs to be CULTIVATED, not expected).
So I explored wax web, only to arrive at several criticisms:
1. What is with this text and pictures format. When one reads,
they slip into a rythm with the text. Constantly disrupted by
icon-size pictures, I became confused and disoriented. I mean,
there's a million other sites out there, buddy, I don't need to
pay attention to you.
2. etc.
So then I e-mailed the wizard--who told me to try to
get a peek at the VRML (Virtual Reality Meta Language) version
of wax web. I went to the IATH and spoke to Dan, the tech, who
was super friendly and got me an account at the Media Resource
Center in Wilson. Unfortunately, Lisa was scheduled on the
machine I needed from 12-5, but it was only 11, so if I
hurried...
At the MRC, I logged on (with my new, Dan-created
account (aren't you jealous?)) and found the site. Pretty cool
stuff, you could go and look around at the WAX logo, spin it on
any axis, go thru it, etc. The novelty here was that it was on
the web. Then, after some tinkering, I got to the beginning of
the story. This is most definitely a "work in progress," so
only the first few frames were completed before I had to
stumble back into the less virtual interface.
Oh well, the noon hour soon arrived and the consultant
politely asked me to leave. I had made a bit of a ruckus when
looking at a clunky virtual Japanamation site (Super Mario like
music was part of the package) and although she was "joking"
about it, I think she was happy to have this non-graduate
student leave the premises.
Wait another year, and I'm sure we'll all experience
the joys of VRML. Or, as the Silicon Graphics VRML site reads,
"your day job will be in peril." (I'm not sure if I got that
quite right.)
See you in class. Sorry for the absence of big words.
Andrew