[12129] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Re: Room-With-A-View(sm):Next-Next Generation Workstations
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Larry Greenwood L 857-3200)
Tue Apr 7 20:12:01 1998
Date: Tue, 07 Apr 1998 14:03:33 -0500
From: Larry Greenwood L 857-3200 <greenwoo@warp6.cs.misu.NoDak.edu>
In-Reply-To: <01IVIQOG5HFI000CZA@Post-Office.UH.EDU>
To: PACS-L@LISTSERV.UH.EDU
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L@LISTSERV.UH.EDU>
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Gerry,
We have experienced some incompatability issues with the PII and reverted
back to the PI (or whatever). The problem we experienced with with scsi
drive controller. Never could get it to work on a PII but it worked fine
on a PI.
We build and upgrade our own computers and so I test out new motherboards
before I move to newer boards.
Larry Greenwood
Library Director
Minot State University
Minot, North Dakota 58702
greenwoo@warp6.cs.misu.nodak.edu
On Mon, 6 Apr 1998, Gerry McKiernan wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Room-With-A-View(sm):
> Next-Next Generation Workstations
>
> I recently was asked by a colleague to consider the
> benefit of purchasing a Pentium II-powered computer.
> I investigated the current technology and learned that
> a 333 MHz model had just recently become available and
> suggested that instead of considering the purchase
> of a 233 MHz model that serious consideration be given
> to purchasing the 333 MHz unit. Flippantly, I added that
> while the cost was less, by the time the 233 MHz unit
> was ordered and delivered, it would be yesterday's technology.
> I noted that it was important to anticipate potentially
> new needs and applications, notably the increased availability
> of audio and full-motion video, among other formats, for
> formal and informal instructional programs.
>
> This weekend while reviewing literature on Virtual
> Environments as it relates to the development of two
> new sense-based information navigation clearinghouses
> _The Next WAVe(sm)_ for Auditory Browsing in Web and non-Web
> databases (http://www.public.iastate.edu/~CYBERSTACKS/Wave.htm)
> and _The Magic Touch_ for haptic/tactile information
> navigation that is currently in development, I recalled
> an article that appeared in the _New York Times_ recently
> that reviewed the sale of one of the original Virtual
> Reality companies, VPL,and its patent portfolio. In
> the NYT article mention was made of the activities of
> Jaron Lanier, the company's founder and VR visionary
> of his current involvement in the National Tele-Immersion
> Initiative, a program that was not known to me.
> BTW: The cite for the NYTimes article is:
>
> Ditlea, Steve
> "False Starts Aside, Virtual Reality Finds
> New Roles", New Yorl Times, March 23, 1998
> B3
>
> Lanier is currently the lead scientist for the National
> Tele-Immersion Initiative (NTII). Access to the NTII
> homepage is available from Lanier's Webpage:
>
> http://www.well.com/user/jaron/
>
> From the NTII homepage, one finds a description and
> illustration of Telecubicles, the physical office (?)
> that will be used with in a test of the NTII.
> [http://www.advanced.org/tele-immersion/cubenet.html]
> [http://www.advanced.org/tele-immersion/board/cubelabel.html]
>
> In learning about the Telcubicle for the NII
> it occurred to me that my own thinking about sensory
> information systems that I have developed/am developing
> has been confined to conventional PC/Unix/MAC, etc.
> configurations;that I too was thinking _only_ about
> sensory-based information navigation (SIN) [:->]
> in the context of current _desk-top_ systems. With
> some usual day-dreaming it has occured to me that
> we will need to/have to replace our current _desk-top_
> mentality for accessing information not only with
> other alternative SIN presentations, but with alternative
> hardware configurations, furniture and architecture.
> Until now for the most part we all have continued to
> operate within the Desk-Top frame of mind, which itself
> is/has been a _metaphor_ of our well-established Office
> and Organizational Mentality! [Office 97, anyone? [:->]
>
> Semi-immersive systems such as Telecubicle and the
> the ImmersaDesk (http://www.evl.uic.edu/pape/CAVE/idesk/)
> [Yes, I admit it these are also extensions of Desk-Top
> thinking when you think about it] as well as immersive
> systems such as CAVE [http://www.evl.uic.edu/pape/CAVE/]
> and other complete Virtual Environments may serve as
> models for the Next-Next Generation Workstation, not
> only for the Office-of-the Future but for the Library-
> of-the Future as well, allowing users to fully navigate
> Information with all their senses [Yes, there is indeed
> research that involves olfactory interfaces!]
>
> I am greatly interested in receiving reactions to my
> observations as well as information about any operational
> or R&D efforts that seek to establish semi-immersive
> or immersive systems as environmental interfaces to Web
> and non-Web databases. I am particularly interested (and
> would be overwhelmed) to learn about any local or
> commercial efforts that are considering the use of
> such immersive technologies as workstations within
> the library environment . I will plan to profile
> these efforts in a new clearinghouse [Oh No, not
> _another_ clearinghouse] to be called _Room-With-A-View(sm)
> It will be established at
>
> http://www.public.iastate.edu/~CYBERSTACKS/Room.htm
>
> [BTW:The 'Internet Foyer" that is profiled in my _Big Picture(sm)_
> site has potential here]
>
> As always, Any and All Suggestions, Comments, Questions,
> Queries or Critiques are most welcome!
>
> Regards,
>
> Gerry McKiernan
> Curator, CyberStacks(sm)
> Iowa State University
> Ames IA 50011
>
> gerrymck@iastate.edu
> http://www.public.iastate.edu/~CYBERSTACKS/
>
> We Are Only Limited by the Limits of Our Imagination
>
