This document is meant to serve as a brief introduction to Da Sports Show's proprietary Internet technology, Actual Reality Modeling Language (ARML). We will discuss the history of its conception, and describe broad guidelines for its current and future development.

ARML is a technology conceived as a direct reaction to current attempts to provide real-time online reality­based content. Various attempts have been made at doing much the same thing (VRML, WebFX, Java, JavaScript, etc.) but, as the marketplace has proven, these attempts have failed. For the audience at which these technologies are aimed, the mere implementation of any of these technologies can be nearly impossible. Even in the hands of an expert, these existing technologies are, at best, disappointing. The requirement made of the user in terms of computer proficiency, training, and hardware required make current technologies almost comically Byzantine. Sadder still, the promise these technologies make is rather short sighted-to make the user feel like he or she is "virtually" doing something.

ARML is an attempt to supersede current technological and conceptual shortcomings by bringing to the Internet user something that is actually happening. By applying a working model of an actual event to the Internet user, said user is provided with an actual experience which, through currently available and working technologies, is instantly comprehensible and enjoyable to him/her. The language used is the vernacular of the user, the spoken (or written) word. While ARML development is being done in English, full internationalization will be easily achieved within the year.

Brief history of ARML

ARML came about as an organic side-effect of application development at people in the mass-market software development field didn't get it.

By a quaint coincidence, a common area used by the Da Show's staff found a children's toy, a basketball hoop and a ball, about ²/₃ scale of a real basketball court (see figure 1, below)

It occurred to the staff that this was a working, instantly comprehensible model of the game of basketball. It was designed so children could understand and enjoy it, even while adults could do much the same.

Feasibility studies were conducted internally, and the resulting graph (chart 1, below) made it clear that ARML was a technology that had to be developed if anyone were to have any chance of having fun on the Internet.

Clearly, the development of ARML is dictated by this analysis.

The first widespread use of ARML was the now famous ARML Super Bowl delivered during Da Football Show on 1/26/96. The widespread CU-SeeMe videoconferencing technology (provided by Cornell University) was used to deliver this ARML event. Da Football Show correctly predicted the winner of the NFL Super Bowl and the closeness of the game.

ARML guidelines

Clearly, because ARML is a new and growing technology, any attempt to codify it is subject to change. There will be no attempt made here to give a step-by-step approach. This is meant as an overview of the philosophy behind ARML and its future implementation. Given that, here are some general rules:

1. ARML is the real-time display of a model of an actual event via the Internet, or some other distributed network means. Examples of this might be:
   • A videoconference of a widely understood sporting event model, such as a golf putting machine
   • Real-time audio coverage of audio-based events, such as simulated historical debates (e.g., the Douglass/Lincoln debate)
2. ARML will take the user, at most, 10 more minutes to understand than it would take him/her to learn his/his WWW browser.
3. Anything calling itself ARML will be able to be viewed on a computer (including all hardware required) costing no more than $2500.
4. If a product claims itself to be "virtual," it cannot use ARML technology.
5. Any product not adhering to the forgoing guidelines cannot use the ARML logo

Da Sports Show reserves the right to make changes to these guidelines without notice at anytime.