***So What's Wave About?
By Rob Glidden
Every dog has its day, and every mag has its manifesto. I was
starting to whip one out--all about the PC's 2nd revolution (visual
supercomputing is essential to handle the coming great Internet
digital fire hose), about the Net (you'll be able to buy low latency
before high bandwidth), about interactive media (interacting with
media is a bore; people want to interact with people, and yes, Mickey
Mouse is a person too), about art, entertainment and technology,
about the business of NBTs, about net journalism.
But let's cut to the chase. Wave is about:
3D: the computer's first and only native media type. Real-time,
render-time, from wireframe to photorealism, 3D GUIs to the Next
Big Toy Story. If its 3D, its on the Wave beat.
Media Creation: Media convergence is in the details--3D, 2D, video,
film, sound -- putting them together is the backbone of content and
communication.
Shared Space: "Two years out, the percentage of PC games that will
have a multiplayer aspect will be 70% or 80%" Bill Gates in Next
Generation Magazine, June 1996. (thanks for the well-timed quote,
Bill). Want the coolest Web site? Be home when people visit.
Digital Opporunity: The Internet, cable modems, electronic
commerce and the PC as a media appliance are all digital
opportunities. Our interest is in what technologies will shape the
digital future.
But enough pontificating. On to the news.
Wave Issue 9601 6/23/96 Article 3-01