Wave Issue 9703 2/17/97 Article 5-01

***Interview – Tony Parisi, Intervista
by John Latta

WAVE had an opportunity to interview Tony Parisi, a leading figure in
the VRML community at the Moving Worlds conference. His views provided
an interesting perspective in the development of VRML as a standard and
the emergence of an industry around 3D on the Web.

Tony Parisi is President and CTO of Intervista Software. The
combination of Intervista, as leading company in providing VRML
software technology, and Tony, one of the creators of VRML 1.0, brings
a unique background and perspective into both the past and future of
VRML.

Tony feels that there is no longer a question about “…is VRML
technology is real?” Version 2.0 goes a long way in providing a feature
set to do “really good stuff.” Browsers supporting 2.0 will ship
imminently thus providing a critical tool for the emergence of VRML 2.0
use. Yet, he sees much hard work ahead. In particular many more tools
are needed and the ones that exist today are not tuned for the medium.
Specifically tools are required which support specific VRML
applications.

In response to the question – where is $ to be made in this new medium
- Tony sees the conventional Internet business model where the player
is given away and the content and tools are the revenue generators. In
VRML the world view is also content. In terms of tools Tony sees those
focused on vertical markets as beginning first because the users will
pay more for content and tools focused on their needs. Horizontal tools
will take off but after the initial vertical market needs are met.

There is a close parallel with the developments in software for
multimedia. A feedback cycle will develop between the browser, tools
and content. As the content improves there will be a greater demand for
better browser engines and likewise for improvements in the tools to do
better content. A natural progression for VRML products will be first
loosely integrated bundles of products for vertical markets and then
complete suites of tools. This follows closely the maturation of the
multimedia tools market which is now coalescing on a suite strategy.

Tony also feels that VRML 2.0 represents barely a beginning. Yet, in
order to launch a VRML industry, 2.0 must be kept stable and with
stability the market will come together.

When asked about the role of 3D acceleration in raising the bar for
VRML quality, Tony was cautious. He feels that 3D acceleration will not
emerge for 12 – 18 months. The key is content and how this creates an
immersive experience is more important that acceleration. Tony feels
that this can be done today.

The VRML consortium is important for two reasons, as stated by Tony.
First, it is a stabilizing force in the VRML community which makes it
possible to be much more efficient for the participants. Second, it
provides a vehicle for all players to have a stake in making VRML
successful. As Tony stated, the consortium provides a vehicle which
goes “beyond press releases and puts $ towards ties that bind” to form
an industry.

Tony sees the next six months as being very important in the emergence
of 3D on the Web. What is needed are “killer sites” which show the
potential of this medium. As examples he cites Protoza, Constructs and
Dive Bar.