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Rating: 
Summary: Worse than "I Sing" by same author
Review: I got both books as a gift when a relative met the author and he suggested that they would make a good birthday present for me (some objective referral).Both books are horrible, but this one is by far the worst. I might just cut the spine and cover off this book and glue it to a different one. This way if my relative stops over she sees the title on my bookshelf and think it's not in the dumpster where it belongs.
Rating: 
Summary: Through a virtual-headset darkly.
Review: I was one of the principals involved in the founding and initial operation of the HIT Lab. As the HIT Lab's first Associate Director, I organized the Virtual Worlds Consortium, the industry group that underwrote the Lab, and created the Lab-sponsored industry nexus, the sci.virtual-worlds newsgroup on USENET. As I read Fred's book, I constantly found myself scratching my head and exclaiming, "I don't remember it that way!" In more than one case, Fred's recitation of "the facts" was contrary to the situation as I remembered it. Moreover, Fred gives short shrift to the vibrant community of virtual-worlds developers, writers, and promoters, in the U.S. and abroad, who contributed to moving the field ahead. While I take great pride in the initial vision espoused by Tom Furness for the HIT Lab, in fact it was through interorganizational, often national and international collaboration that true progress was made. Finally, contrary to Fred's account, (1) the HIT Lab did not engineer SIGGRAPH choosing me to chair the VR panel at SIGGRAPH 90, (2) I chose the panelists with great care to balance the concrete with the visionary, (3) the panel discussion was sensible and not ridiculous, (4) Myron Krueger and I did *not* get in a fight on stage, and (5) Myron did *not* shove me off the stage. He stepped down from the stage at Warren Robinett's urging. A small point? Perhaps, but this incredibly altered history makes me wonder how much of Fred's remaining reportage is credible. Besides, weren't there more important things to say about the virtual-worlds movement other than that it was "populated by crazies" (who were a distinct minority)? Fred has missed a great opportunity to track an historical and cultural turning point in the computer industry.
Rating:
Summary: Worse than "I Sing" by same author
Review: I worked at one of the companies mentioned in the book and worked with or knew several of the characters personally. A co-worker actually turned me onto the book after she recognized my old company's name mentioned. I borrowed it and proceeded to catch up with what happened to these folks for the few years after Worldesign shut down. While the few facts I can personally relate to are accurate, they do focus a great deal on emotion and bitterness and seem to take one person's accounts as gospel without balance from others. It does state many of the hidden trials of startups. The writing style is weak. I found the plot disjoint and with too much coverage in some areas, and mostly too little development/depth in others. If I were to have read the book without personal knowledge of the people mentioned, I would have screamed for more character development. I agree with the other reviewer that this is something you borrow from the library. It was a quick read.
Rating:
Summary: Disjoint and superficial
Review: I worked at one of the companies mentioned in the book and worked with or knew several of the characters personally. A co-worker actually turned me onto the book after she recognized my old company's name mentioned. I borrowed it and proceeded to catch up with what happened to these folks for the few years after Worldesign shut down. While the few facts I can personally relate to are accurate, they do focus a great deal on emotion and bitterness and seem to take one person's accounts as gospel without balance from others. It does state many of the hidden trials of startups. The writing style is weak. I found the plot disjoint and with too much coverage in some areas, and mostly too little development/depth in others. If I were to have read the book without personal knowledge of the people mentioned, I would have screamed for more character development. I agree with the other reviewer that this is something you borrow from the library. It was a quick read.
Rating: 
Summary: Pinpointed the Problem
Review: Moody accurately captures the confusion, competition and corruption of the VRD circle -- as a VRD inventor myself I found the comments about Rutkowski as corrupt accurate -- was a bit surprised that he missed a few characters -- the MIT circle in particular. It provides an excellent lesson in Shakespearean intrigue and corporate politics.
Rating:
Summary: Digital Greedbags
Review: This book is not badly written - I wouldn't say it's well written by any means but it's not bad. The thing that really galls one about the book are the characters - and unfortunately they're not fictitious. I hit rock bottom with the cast when I read about one "dreamer" who when presented with an opportunity to contribute a technological innovation to oceanographic research responded with the gushing realization that he could "make millions." Not that he might contribute something to humanity - but he might "make millions." It's a little hard to picture people primarily driven by a desire for money as "dreamers." Maybe the book should have been subtitled "The Digital Greedbags who are Hyping VR to Death." If the point of the book is to lampoon the crass nature of the people in Seattle working on VR, it succeeds admirably. Somehow, however, I don't think that was intended to be the point. Read it only if you have a strong stomach for brainless greed, hype, and outright BS.
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