-----Original Message-----
From: mike bevan [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: 26 January 1999 23:30
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Introduction and Freebies


Hi all . . .

This is my introductory posting to 'ForumNet', which I understand now
has
around 140 recipients. I would encourage other Forum members to
introduce
themselves and their VR interests and activities.

For those who don't know me, I'm Managing Director of Cydata Limited, a
VR
information services company, and Managing Editor of VR NEWS
(http://www.vrnews.com). VR NEWS is published in London, and distributed
to
around 40 countries worldwide, though the majority of its subscribers
are
in the USA. It's in its 8th year of publication, and is the world's only
VR-specific commercial newsletter/magazine.

I've been part of the Forum Steering Group since its inception, and have
participated centrally in most of its activities. Recently I have been
involved as part of the Membership Action Group with defining and
introducing formal membership structures and rules.

This has been my second stint at this form of midwifery. 30 years ago I
allowed myself to be talked into the role of founder chairman of the
Software Houses Association, the trade association for the UK software
industry, and an ancestor of the present Computing Software and Services
Association.

I'm not standing as a candidate in the upcoming Steering Group
elections,
but will continue to take a very active interest in the Forum's
development. The biggest challenge it faces IMHO is to become credibly
representative of the interests of the UK VR community.

I am disappointed that the Steering Group candidate list includes so few
of
the UK's leading academic VR researchers, almost none of the world-class
VR
vendor companies operating in the UK, and not a single user
representative
from any of the five business sectors identified during recent DTI
research
as "holding the most near term promise for the adoption of VR in the
short
term" (1998-2000) - namely, Automotive, Aerospace/Defence, Oil/Gas,
Engineering Contracting and Construction.

It would be interesting to hear any opinions from subscribers to this
group
as to reasons for this worrying shortage of candidates.


And now to the freebies . . .

1. Anyone who has not yet received a complimentary copy of "UK Business
Potential for Virtual Reality: Executive Summary" and would like one is
invited to let me have their postal address. This 12-page document,
published by the DTI, briefly summarises the main findings of the DTI
market research referred to above, which my company undertook.  Leaflets
providing more detail about VR usage in each of the five "Key Sectors"
will
shortly be available, and I shall post a further message about these in
due
course.

One further related comment. My company is presently under contract to
the
DTI to promote increased awareness of VR in the Key Sectors. We are
currently initiating discussions with around 100 trade and professional
organisations active in these sectors, with a view to ensuring that VR
is
as well represented as possible in their national and regional
conference
and seminar programmes over the next year or two.

We are also contacting the principal national and sector media to try to
increase the quality and quantity of their coverage of VR applications
in
the Key Sectors. Some of you may have seen the recent Daily Telegraph
article which reported on the DTI's VR Awareness Programme.

I am building a database of speakers and authors with specialised
experience of VR applications in the Key Sectors, and would be very
pleased
to hear from anyone interested in speaking or writing articles on these
topics.

2. As you will see if you visit our website, those unfamiliar with VR
NEWS
can if they wish rectify this oversight by participating in our 3-month
free trial subscription scheme. Again, all I need is your postal
address.

3. Finally, we have a couple of dozen copies left in stock of the
complete
Bound Set of 1997 issues of VR NEWS. I shall be happy to send a
complimentary copy to any Forum member who requests one - first come
first
served, UK mailing addresses only. I need the storage space . . .

The 1997 Bound Set is a 320 page volume packed with information and
illustrations, including notably a unique near-complete database of
VR-related EC projects up to and including Framework IV, which we
published
in stages during the latter part of the year.  Incidentally, I assume
Robin
Hollands (Chairman of the UK VR Special Interest Group), Simon Bore
(Chairman of the London VR Group) and Chris Hand (ed-3d moderator) are
on
this list, and I would be happy for them to pass on this offer (indeed
this
complete email if they wish) to their own members.

Yes, there will soon be a VR NEWS 1998 Bound Set, but it will not be
free.
Details in our next issue.

That's it for now - I look forward to hearing from lots of you, both
directly and via this list.

Mike Bevan
[log in to unmask]



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