Department: Computing and Communications
Lancaster University
Dear Dr Rodger Lea,
I’ve
decided to write this short email to you as I’m interested in your past
work on Community Place and other 3D World Communications work.
Although most VRML development subsided prior to 2005, and the
conclusion is that there isn’t yet a good way to apply 3D to the
Internet that will attract large attention for extended time, I’m
somehow drawn to the CP Software family.
I am using CP Browser 1.1 on Windows 10 64 bit through a 32 bit installer of さぱりMIL and all the rest are 16 bit installers.
I have all of them except for one, and that is the CP Conductor 2.0. This one was stored at this link:https://web-beta.archive.org/web/20050312113420/http://tecfa.unige.ch:80/pub/software/win95/multimedia/vrml/community/conductor/
However they scrapped it and since then the Conductor 2.0 has become ultra-rare software.
Despite
its limitations, it has interesting capabilities, and is the only one I
do not have in the CP family of trials. Modelling VRML worlds in Sony
style is definitely too ancient, but I’d still like to
see it in action. CP has something special to it which I cannot explain.
But currently I have no experience of its modelling capabilities. Thus,
following my failure at finding CP Conductor, I would like to request
this software from you, if you still have
it after twenty years, or if you don’t, I would like to apologise deeply
for sending this rather ‘rude’ email. There must be something in it.
Reading,
your bio, I am very inspired by your current and previous work. That is
something that evolves and is continuously at the forefront of
technology. But still, CP was pretty good.
I also attach 4 'piccies' of CP Conductor!piccies was on your CSL page I think
With deep respect and hope,
NSK
Monday, 8 May 2017
Hi,
as you say, it's an odd request - while Community Place and our
work on VRML2.0 was innovative at the time, that was almost 20 years
ago. A lot has changed since then, so I'm puzzled by your request!
I certainly don't have a copy of the software, I may be able to ask
around and see if one of the guys in Japan has an old copy somewhere.
But before I do that, can you explain in a little more detail why
you want it - what exactly do you plan to do with it and why are you
spending time on software archeology, there's a lot of newer and very
interesting software under development! :-)
regards
Rodger
In my opinion, 20 years hasn't brought about
a lot of newer and very interesting software
a lot of newer and very interesting software
but he seems to think so. I'll still find another copy without the help of successful engineers like Rodger.
