The DICT Development Group

  virtual reality
       n : a hypothetical three-dimensional visual world created by a
           computer; user wears special goggles and fiber optic
           gloves etc., and can enter and move about in this world
           and interact with objects as if inside it

  virtual reality n. 1. Computer simulations that use 3-D graphics and
     devices such as the Dataglove to allow the user to interact with the
     simulation. See cyberspace. 2. A form of network interaction
     incorporating aspects of role-playing games, interactive theater,
     improvisational comedy, and `true confessions' magazines. In a virtual
     reality forum (such as Usenet's alt.callahans newsgroup or the MUD
     experiments on Internet), interaction between the participants is
     written like a shared novel complete with scenery, `foreground
     characters' that may be personae utterly unlike the people who write
     them, and common `background characters' manipulable by all parties. The
     one iron law is that you may not write irreversible changes to a
     character without the consent of the person who `owns' it. Otherwise
     anything goes. See bamf, cyberspace, teledildonics.
  
  

  virtual reality
       
          (VR)
       
          1.  Computer simulations that use 3D graphics and
          devices such as the data glove to allow the user to interact
          with the simulation.
       
          2.  A form of network interaction incorporating aspects
          of role-playing games, interactive theater, improvisational
          comedy, and "true confessions" magazines.  In a virtual
          reality forum (such as Usenet's news:alt.callahans
          newsgroup or the MUD experiments on Internet and
          elsewhere), interaction between the participants is written
          like a shared novel complete with scenery, "foreground
          characters" that may be personae utterly unlike the people who
          write them, and common "background characters" manipulable by
          all parties.  The one iron law is that you may not write
          irreversible changes to a character without the consent of the
          person who "owns" it, otherwise, anything goes.
       
          See bamf, cyberspace.
       
          [{Jargon File]
       
          (1995-01-30)