Virtuelle Welten im Internet. Mehrwertpotentiale der Virtual Reality Modelling Language für die zukünftige Entwicklung elektronischer Marktplätze

Abstract

The Virtual Reality Modelling Language (VRML) is an international standard technology, established for the realization of virtual worlds on the internet. Motivated by the recently formed electronic marketplaces an empirically founded state-of-the-art analysis of the value adding potentials of VRML is carried out. Relevant and promising application fields for the VRML 2.0 specification are determined in the categories business, education, entertainment and science. From these applications animation, individualization, interaction, multimediality, navigation and visualization are extracted as application strengths of VRML. On this basis, system-related organizational and individual value adding potentials from VRML 2.0 are elaborated in the different application fields. A synthesis results in a promising prospect for VRML 2.0 including manifold potentials to overcome predominant deficits of electronic marketplaces. Finally, the extended concept of multi-user-worlds with communication-based value adding potentials is introduced as the future of VRML. An amazing conformity to objectives of regional electronic marketplaces is identified and, in addition, the vision of the evolution of virtual cyberspace communities is percieved.