(entrepreneur answer)

Yes. But, I'm not telling anyone. It's a big secret. No one can find out until we have first mover advantage.

 

(business person answer)

Of course the kids say "yes". But right now, the real answer from business is "no" or "very rarely", because the killer reason hasn't emerged yet, making the other "good" reasons seem gratuitous and unnecessary for now. Why go to all that trouble, right? 2D is just fine. Isn't it?

 

(sales person answer)

Business 3D is like that roll of duct tape in your garage drawer. You don't use it very often, but when you need it, it's the greatest thing ever. Just ask the Marketing people. Have you seen those spinning digital cameras on our website yet?

 

(visionary answer)

When real-time photorealistic 3D is fully integrated and a first-class citizen of mainstream graphic production tools, we'll have created the most persuasive medium ever for communication, advertising and promotion. Why? Because there's something primitively emotional about seeing and interacting with photorealistic 3D. Much more so than with television or video. Don't know why, but just watch your kids. They get it.

 

(MBA turned B2B VP answer)

Can you say "pre-purchase simulation"? The New Economy will demand simulation before execution (time permitting of course). It's a true value-add that makes good business sense, doesn't it?

 

(zealot answer)

In the not-to-distant future of 100% 3D hardware ubiquity on all devices, 3D will be a fully integrated piece of the general user interface and daily experience, making it the norm and inseparable from the OS. I know you're saying to yourself "and monkeys will fly out of my butt...", but its inevitable looking at the trajectory of hardware development and the lusts of adolescent operating system programmers. We've already won.

Question #2 --  Is there any good reason for 3D in schools outside of Industrial Arts and Drivers Ed?

See answer #3.

Question #3 --  Is there any good reason for 3D on the Web? (And anyone who says 3D shopping malls automatically gets one grade point taken off.)

* Extra credit question --  How would you design a 3D user interface?

There should be no 3D user interfaces (I define that as 3D widgets replacing 2D widgets). That would be a stupid mistake for us all to make.

Now, 3D workspaces -- that's another story. It's time to set the data free. As Bill Buxton says, "get the interface out of your face". To me, a "true" 3D interface means you're in there with the data and can interact with it in some tactile way. Difficult at best with today's setups, but not impossible.

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