[DennisP]

For a lot of purposes I agree. Hypertext is one.

But I think one reason 3D hasn't done much is that we're looking at it through a little 2D window. When VR really hits the market I think 3D worlds will be a lot more compelling.

[azinman2]

The question then becomes what new applications will that enable, rather than how can we do what we already do in 3D. That's the problem I see with secondlife and as they're defining the metaverse...

If it's about simulation/training for doctors/firefighters/etc then I can see the uses because you're wanting to simulate a complex situation in the real world. But what purely virtual tasks will be better accomplished with VR than without? Is it more simulation of reality or something totally new? My guess is for whatever is new it mostly will be about navigating something inherently 3D such as DNA. If that's true, then do we really need a decentralized metaverse to populate it, or can whatever random DNA VR software be enough?