[X3D-Public] my musings on O3D and JavaScript on the web

John Carlson john.carlson3 at sbcglobal.net
Thu Apr 23 21:21:32 PDT 2009


I think you guys missed the point about O3D.  O3D takes COLLADA as  
input.  What's the difference between a Phong-shaded sphere in  
COLLADA, VRML, and X3D?  I guess the real question is, if I write a  
Sphere class in JavaScript, can I reuse it?  I don't really care how  
much code is underneath, as long as I have a nice high level API.  I  
imagine that someone could tell me the assembly language way to draw a  
sphere, and we would all be amazed at how long it is.

http://www.khronos.org/news/permalink/google_o3d_javascript_api_offers_a_sample_collada_converter/

X3D/VRML is competing against COLLADA, not O3D.  O3D is low level  
plumbing.

Just like GWT takes Java and produces JavaScript, O3D takes COLLADA  
and generates JavaScript.  JavaScript (remember Ajax folks) appears to  
be the low level language of the future, not XML or HTML.  JavaScript  
is rapidly replacing C, C++, and Java as the most portable procedural  
language, and it's getting more secure and fast to boot. (see Caja,  
V8)  Now that JavaScript has 3D in all major HTML browsers, this sets  
the stage for declarative tools to be built on top of it.

Be smart, generate O3D from X3D/VRML.

I said this a long time ago, perhaps some will recall.  You could use  
aspect oriented programming in Xj3D to generate O3D..  Just log all  
the JOGL calls as O3D and you are done!  Your application will be  
converted to O3D!  And you can share your aspects with others in the  
Web3D consortium so that everyone can jump on the O3D bandwagon.

If you don't think it can be done, look at SMARTedit http://tlau.org/research/smartedit/ 
   or SMARTshell http://tlau.org/research/papers/aaai2004-workshop-PW.pdf

Obviously we haven't replaced humans yet.  For more inspiration, see http://www.orwant.com/eggg.html

If this stuff is old hat, let me know what the new hat is.  What is  
the 3D version of EGGG?  What is the 3D version of SMARTedit?  What is  
the 3D version of SMARTshell?  Will this consortium create it?

Sigh, I should probably sit down with an animator, mechanical engineer  
or electrical engineer and learn their tools.  When will their tools  
be available on a web browser that runs on a Macintosh?  Will these  
tools be written in X3D/VRML or O3D?  Does anyone want to write 3DS  
Max, Maya, AutoCAD, Pro/E or Flash's editor and make it available on  
the web?  Where is the X3D/VRML editor written in X3D/VRML?  Where is  
the behavioral 3D editing program designed to be run in a web  
browser?  Is there a performance issue that V8 can solve?  I am a java  
programmer.  When will NetBeans, Eclipse, IntelliJ, JBuilder, and  
JDeveloper run in a web browser?

Open source and fast JavaScript is here.  Will your company be ready  
for it?


If you still think XML is the answer, read this: http://www.charlespetzold.com/etc/CSAML.html

John
On Apr 23, 2009, at 9:54 AM, Joe D Williams wrote:

>
>> _This is what it takes to do a single, Phong-shaded sphere in O3D_
>
> Good Point, Tony.
> That stuff (well maybe not the 'exact' keystrokes) has been around  
> long enough in sufficient renditions to be considered open with no  
> real prospect of copy protection. Besides that, of course it is more  
> than a web author wants to deal with. It looks more complicated than  
> SVG, even!
> Thanks and Best Regards,
> Joe
>
>





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