Ever read the "Otherland" books by Tad Williams? I actually just started the second one last night (and literally couldn't put it down for 2 hours). Completely realistic virtual reality, and being trapped inside, is one of the basic premises. These ideas are really interesting to me, since I am in fact trying to help create VR! (http://interreality.org) However, I have always disliked the phrase "Virtual Reality". I think real reality is great, and is really a lot more than we think it is! When you are in "Virtual" reality, you are still in "real" reality... total transportation is not implicit in the technology. I prefer to say "Virtual Environments". They should be just like any other human construction: gardens, architecture, visual art, music. Their purpose is to communicate, from one person to another. "Virtual Reality" also implies a totally immersive display method: wearing a display stuck to your face, being covered with sensors, completely jacked in. I don't really like that and it doesn't have to be that way. Virtual environments can be projected into the real world (ie, your living room walls), instead of taking you away from it. This is a lot more comfortable and useful, in my opinion. reed john bennett wrote:

when computers are powerful enough to recreate true life scenarios - with full sensory connection (touch/smell ect).. where you can look beautiful,be healthy ,'be' anything you want and live in perfect surroundings .Enviroments that people can get literaly lost in! where you can meet up with friends/family and live the life you want! im not sure if people will actually ever leave the computer enviroment? they/we will then be traped in the physical form connected by wires to a simulated true life network.unable to evolve into a species capable of avoiding the final big crunch!

-- Reed Hedges VOS/Interreality Project reed@interreality.org http://interreality.org