VRML wasn't rubbish; the hardware to implement it was (at the time).
As for 3D interfaces, what do you call a RL coffee mug, door handle, gear shift, or paper book? We use 3D interfaces so much in everyday life that they dissolve into the background.
A real-life door handle is not comparable to a CG "3D" interface - a more sensible comparison would be a photo of a door handle that you have to poke in the right way to get the door to open...
Why couldn't an actual, physical door handle be used in places where a virtual world calls for a door handle? Just move it into position at the appropriate time...
Did you ever use VRML? Its grand if you only have 4 polygons, anything else and its a nasty mess.
We use 3d interfaces in the real world. They do not translate to the 2d world.
real 3D widgets are there to save time, or provide a service that isn't possible without them. In the computer world, they just get in the way. When starting from scratch, why hobble your self with something designed for a world we don't control?
They are similar to animated transitions, sure they look good, but they eat time. (apple spaces really Pisses me off, why the fuck do you want to slow me down? you can tell the designer never uses them.)
Suppose I'm maneuvering around a 3D virtual world, viewed with a 3D headset. Suppose I come up to an old wooden door with a doorknob. What's the most natural, intuitive way for me to open that door? Reaching down, turning the doorknob, and pulling sounds fairly intuitive. Forget about UI and context menus and all that other crap. A toddler could figure it out.
"door handle, gear shift, or paper book" are antiquated ideas that people either have gotten rid of or are in the process of removing in RL now that the tech exists.
Coffees cups, yes currently they'll be around for a while longer. To much culture attached ATM.
Give me a break; there are billions of door handles in the world. They most certainly aren't going away.
As for the "death of paper books," guess what? Ebook market share has stopped growing. It will never get anywhere near 100%. Paper books have many advantages over ebooks. Just try flipping quickly through an ebook, or passing it on to your children as an heirloom.
