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Firefox Reality Now Available

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Re: Firefox Reality Now Available

#111

Post by SideburnsOfDoom »

protomikron wrote: post #82

Hm, I don't get it. There is maybe a use case for VR to add immersion for games (like space sims or racing games), but why would I want to have a device on my head to look at a 2D canvas? I mean it's a nice tech demo, but it seems like the 2000ish hype around these 3D-cube window managers that ... looked cool, but otherwise don't add anything to your workflow. Do people really want to work (e.g. develop) with a VR in…

> but why would I want to have a device on my head to look at a 2D canvas?

Office managers are sooner or later going to find one VR headset cheaper than 2 or 3 large screens for tech work. At that point, you will be given a headset instead.

Re: Firefox Reality Now Available

#112

Post by flyinglizard »

Ajedi32 wrote: post #107
protomikron wrote: post #82

Hm, I don't get it. There is maybe a use case for VR to add immersion for games (like space sims or racing games), but why would I want to have a device on my head to look at a 2D canvas? I mean it's a nice tech demo, but it seems like the 2000ish hype around these 3D-cube window managers that ... looked cool, but otherwise don't add anything to your workflow. Do people really want to work (e.g. develop) with a VR in…

The advantage of this particular app is that it works on standalone VR headsets, which otherwise don't have access to a decent web browser. Also integrates with Web VR content so you can find and play web-based VR games and videos without taking off the headset. Other than that though I agree with you; apart from a few niche use-cases, right now this isn't really much better than just using the browser on your phone.…

I don’t think unlimited screen estate is really a thing; you can get yourself multiple 4K 50+ TVs for less than the price of a top line iPhone, but such an environment is not ergonomic at all. It’s much easier to switch desktops than to move your head and body around. I think planar screens will rule productivity for the foreseeable future.

Re: Firefox Reality Now Available

#113

Post by jaequery »

protomikron wrote: post #98
executesorder66 wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but why would I want to have a device on my head to look at a 2D canvas Because instead of having a, say, 24 inch screen, I can now have a "screen" the same size (or larger) as my field of vision.

That is certainly true, but you can still only focus on a "window" that is similar in size to your 24 inch screen (and even currently I guess the focus - the area where you read - is actually quite smaller than the screen size). True, you have more screen real estate for the "Alt-Tab" aspect of window selection, but I am not sure that is such a leap.

have you browsed the web in vr before? its certainly like being in front of an imax movie theatre to me. i been using oculus go btw.

Re: Firefox Reality Now Available

#114

Post by majewsky »

SideburnsOfDoom wrote: post #111
protomikron wrote: post #82

Hm, I don't get it. There is maybe a use case for VR to add immersion for games (like space sims or racing games), but why would I want to have a device on my head to look at a 2D canvas? I mean it's a nice tech demo, but it seems like the 2000ish hype around these 3D-cube window managers that ... looked cool, but otherwise don't add anything to your workflow. Do people really want to work (e.g. develop) with a VR in…

> but why would I want to have a device on my head to look at a 2D canvas? Office managers are sooner or later going to find one VR headset cheaper than 2 or 3 large screens for tech work. At that point, you will be given a headset instead.

The cost of a few monitors every few years is completely negligible relative to the salary of the person sitiing in front of it.

Re: Firefox Reality Now Available

#115

Post by perilunar »

rpvnwnkl wrote: post #34
gtramont wrote: post #22

VRML, anyone? :-)

I spent a good year of my free time in high school creating navigable 3D worlds with VRML. Now it seems like noone has heard of it, and they’re next to impossible to render. What’s the latest scoop on VRML? I’m curious.

VRML became X3D, which is still around though not very popular. X3D is pretty much an XML translation of VRML.

There's project called X3DOM that uses JS and WebGL to view X3D models in the browser without a plugin. [https://www.x3dom.org]

I don't think it can view VRML files directly, but there are tools around to convert VRML to X3D.

Re: Firefox Reality Now Available

#116

Post by cheeko1234 »

flyinglizard wrote: post #112
Ajedi32 wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The advantage of this particular app is that it works on standalone VR headsets, which otherwise don't have access to a decent web browser. Also integrates with Web VR content so you can find and play web-based VR games and videos without taking off the headset. Other than that though I agree with you; apart from a few niche use-cases, right now this isn't really much better than just using the browser on your phone.…

I don’t think unlimited screen estate is really a thing; you can get yourself multiple 4K 50+ TVs for less than the price of a top line iPhone, but such an environment is not ergonomic at all. It’s much easier to switch desktops than to move your head and body around. I think planar screens will rule productivity for the foreseeable future.

Even regular monitor sized screens are better in VR since you can move it wherever you like. The resolution is the only reason I don't do it more.

Re: Firefox Reality Now Available

#117

Post by [deleted] »

dmarcos wrote: post #28
gtramont wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This was meant to be a joke. At the same time, it was meant to foster people's curiosity/education on what our industry has tried before. Sorry if it rubbed you the wrong way, though. Now an absolute honest question… how long do you think it'll be before we come across something like VRML again?

I’m one of the maintainers of A-Frame (aframe.io). VRML in spirit but with some learned lessons applied. Happy to answer any questions.

[deleted]

Re: Firefox Reality Now Available

#118

Post by perilunar »

dspig wrote: post #53
dmarcos wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

VR is a new kind of media you will be able to embed in a web page. Like video or sound. Browsers have to be able to render it.

LOL, sitting here with a VRML .wrl file I made in the late 90s. Maybe I can finally open it again, without a browser plug-in this time :)

You can. see my comment above: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18024485

Re: Firefox Reality Now Available

#119

Post by isaiahg »

majewsky wrote: post #114
SideburnsOfDoom wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but why would I want to have a device on my head to look at a 2D canvas? Office managers are sooner or later going to find one VR headset cheaper than 2 or 3 large screens for tech work. At that point, you will be given a headset instead.

The cost of a few monitors every few years is completely negligible relative to the salary of the person sitiing in front of it.

I think the point here is the availability of unlimited screen space. Everywhere you look can be a monitor. Combined with the potential increase in productivity, and the use of VR offices for remote work, I can see a business market developing for this. I don't think we're ready to say monitors will go away. But I think all the pieces are there for VR headsets to be adopted by some companies once the resolution gets good enough.

Re: Firefox Reality Now Available

#120

Post by protomikron »

isaiahg wrote: post #119
majewsky wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The cost of a few monitors every few years is completely negligible relative to the salary of the person sitiing in front of it.

I think the point here is the availability of unlimited screen space. Everywhere you look can be a monitor. Combined with the potential increase in productivity, and the use of VR offices for remote work, I can see a business market developing for this. I don't think we're ready to say monitors will go away. But I think all the pieces are there for VR headsets to be adopted by some companies once the resolution gets…

> Everywhere you look can be a monitor.

But what's the advantage of that?

You still can only focus on one monitor/window? The only difference is that you switch focus/windows via head tilting instead of keyboard/mouse, so I don't really see what that buys you.

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