Interestingly, my VirtualGeography backup was corrupted and I’m missing vol.5 no.4 from November 2006. If anyone happens to have it, I’d like to build it back into the new archive here, so please let me know, or just send it. Thanks in advance!

The second webby thing that happened is that VizMAP’s sister site Grime was moved to a new host (as well) which wouldn’t have been interesting except it was the Grime mail server that was hosting the mailing list for VirtualGeography and it went >>POOF<< before I realised what had happened! Consequently, I have had to revert to a backup mailing list that was created last November. A few of you who may have unsubscribed through the list server since then may find yourselves back on the list and for that, I apologise. I’m reverting to a manual subscribe/unsubscribe procedure for the time being, so please let me know here if you want to unsubscribe.

Virtual Battlespace 2 is a fully interactive, three-dimensional training system that provides a premium synthetic environment suitable for a wide range of military (or similar) training and experimentation purposes. Developed by Bohemia Interactive Australia (BIA), VBS2 offers both virtual and constructive interfaces onto high-fidelity worlds of unparalleled realism. VBS2 is used by military organizations worldwide for mission rehearsal, tactical training, and simulated combined arms exercises. To learn more about VBS2, visit www.vbs2.com.

TerraSim’s VBS2 exporter plug-in extends TerraTools’ impressive range of capabilities to export 3D terrain databases correlated for both visual simulation and semi-automated forces (SAF) applications of constructive simulation. Real-time interaction between VBS2 and the US Army’s OneSAF runtime environment, interconnected via the Calytrix LVC Game interface and using correlated terrains produced by TerraTools, generated significant interest at I/ITSEC in December of 2008. These correlated terrain databases, as well as databases in OpenFlight 16.0, JCATS 7.1.5, JSAF (CTDB8), OneSAF Testbed (OTF) (CTDB7), and MÄK VR-Forces, are available for download from the Calytrix website.

In these databases, TerraTools Urban Details processing generates and converts roof clutter, free-standing walls, buildings with interiors, and power lines with wires into the equivalent VBS2 runtime format employing user-defined appearances and clutter. Both simple buildings and those with interiors, windows, and doors can be automatically created.

Urban Details processing can be tailored to adjust to user requirements for model placement including density, model vanishing ranges, and levels of detail. Models can be used from the standard TerraTools model library or users can organize their models into regionally or culturally specific groups. In addition to automatic model placement and alignment using geometric constraints, model groups can be constructed and scripted to avoid simple repetition.

"We expect this acquisition to be accretive to Oracle’s earnings by at least 15 cents on a non-GAAP basis in the first full year after closing. We estimate that the acquired business will contribute over $1.5 billion to Oracle’s non-GAAP operating profit in the first year, increasing to over $2 billion in the second year. This would make the Sun acquisition more profitable in per share contribution in the first year than we had planned for the acquisitions of BEA, PeopleSoft and Siebel combined," said Oracle President Safra Catz.

"The acquisition of Sun transforms the IT industry, combining best-in-class enterprise software and mission-critical computing systems," said Oracle CEO Larry Ellison. "Oracle will be the only company that can engineer an integrated system – applications to disk – where all the pieces fit and work together so customers do not have to do it themselves. Our customers benefit as their systems integration costs go down while system performance, reliability and security go up."

There are substantial long-term strategic customer advantages to Oracle owning two key Sun software assets: Java and Solaris. Java is one of the computer industry’s best-known brands and most widely deployed technologies, and it is the most important software Oracle has ever acquired. Oracle Fusion Middleware, Oracle’s fastest growing business, is built on top of Sun’s Java language and software. Oracle can now ensure continued innovation and investment in Java technology for the benefit of customers and the Java community.

The Sun Solaris operating system is the leading platform for the Oracle database, Oracle’s largest business, and has been for a long time. With the acquisition of Sun, Oracle can optimize the Oracle database for some of the unique, high-end features of Solaris. Oracle is as committed as ever to Linux and other open platforms and will continue to support and enhance our strong industry partnerships.

"Oracle and Sun have been industry pioneers and close partners for more than 20 years," said Sun Chairman Scott McNealy. "This combination is a natural evolution of our relationship and will be an industry-defining event."

"This is a fantastic day for Sun’s customers, developers, partners and employees across the globe, joining forces with the global leader in enterprise software to drive innovation and value across every aspect of the technology marketplace," said Jonathan Schwartz, Sun’s CEO, "From the Java platform touching nearly every business system on earth, powering billions of consumers on mobile handsets and consumer electronics, to the convergence of storage, networking and computing driven by the Solaris operating system and Sun’s SPARC and x64 systems. Together with Oracle, we’ll drive the innovation pipeline to create compelling value to our customer base and the marketplace."

"Sun is a pioneer in enterprise computing, and this combination recognizes the innovation and customer success the company has achieved. Our largest customers have been asking us to step up to a broader role to reduce complexity, risk and cost by delivering a highly optimized stack based on standards," said Oracle President Charles Phillips. "This transaction will preserve and enhance investments made by our customers, while we continue to work with our partners to provide customers with choice."

To add to the complexity, the earliest fortifications date to the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. Some of these can still be seen today but most of the modern wall dates from the Ming dynasty (before 1700 AD).

Another reason it is so hard to measure the length of the Great Wall is that in some parts, the wall is built over the steepest parts of mountainous areas. Traditional field surveying could not easily measure its real length in 3D space.

Recently, the International Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing sponsored a project to determine the true length of the wall. ISPRS president Chen Jun was the chief scientist on the project. He led a team of about 800 professionals from geomatics and cultural heritage disciplines.

The team used 1:35,000 air photos to generate a 3D digital model of the topography. This allowed the team to measure the slope length using digital photogrammetric tools.

The TerraTools TechNote produced for the VBS2 Exporter comes with the raw data (DEM, textures, models, GIS landuse, creeks and roads, etc.) enabling the creation from scratch of "A Desert Village" which, if you follow the instructions, ends up with an exported .pbo file, packed and loaded directly into VBS2. Obviously, you need current licenses for both TerraTools and VBS2 to be able to do this. If you have a TerraTools license and want to obtain the VBS2 Export plugin, contact me here. If you are in the hunt for VBS2, go to their website here.

As the man tries to fall asleep, he hears a strange sound. A sound not like anything he’s ever heard before. It is the most beautiful sound he has ever heard in his life. He is instantly captivated and enchanted. The Sirens that nearly seduced Odysseus into crashing his ship comes to his mind. He doesn’t sleep that night. He tosses and turns trying to figure out what could possibly be making such a hauntingly seductive sound.

The next morning, he asks the Monks what the sound was, but they say, "We can’t tell you. You’re not a Monk."

Distraught, the man is forced to leave.

Years later, after never being able to forget that sound which continually echoes in his mind, the man goes back to the monastery and pleads for the answer again. The Monks reply, "We can’t tell you. You’re not a Monk." The man says, "If the only way I can find out what is making that beautiful sound is to become a Monk, then please, make me a Monk." The Monks reply, "You must travel the earth and tell us how many blades of grass there are and the exact number of grains of sand. When you find the answer to these questions, you will have become a Monk."

The man sets about his task.

After years of searching he returns as a grey-haired old man and knocks on the door of the monastery. A Monk answers. He is taken before a gathering of all the Monks. "In my quest to find what makes that beautiful sound, I travelled the earth and have found what you asked for: By design, the world is in a state of perpetual change. Only God knows what you ask. All a man can know is himself, and only then if he is honest and reflective and willing to strip away self deception."

The Monks reply, "Congratulations. You have become a Monk. We shall now show you the way to the mystery of the sacred sound."

The Monks lead the man to a wooden door, where the head monk says, "The sound is beyond that door."

The Monks give him the key, and he opens the door.

Behind the wooden door is another door made of stone. The man is given the key to the stone door and he opens it, only to find a door made of ruby. And so it went that he needed keys to doors of emerald, pearl and diamond. Finally, they come to a door made of solid gold.

The sound has now become very clear and definite.

The Monks say, "This is the last key to the last door." The man is apprehensive to no end. His life’s wish is behind that door! With trembling hands, he unlocks the door, turns the knob, and slowly pushes the door open. Falling to his knees, he is utterly amazed to discover the source of that haunting and seductive sound…..