Picky Details Division
Panoguide.com has a handy resource that quickly contrasts the various software programs in a neat table format, sorting the packages according to features. It allows a user to quickly scan the columns and rows for the features that are "must have's" and then see which package has it all. There is also a drop down menuy above the chart that allows you to compare image stitching software, object movie software, virtual tour software, and viewer software, along with the site's recommendations. Keep in mind that once you look for a package that allows you to add hotspots and is also cross-platform, the list shrinks dramatically!

http://www.panoguide.com/software/fileformats.html

QuickTime VR Authoring Tricks, apart from the terrific information provided by the Apple QuickTime VR Technology Development team, there's also a wide selection of "calculators" available here that will allow you to:

• Determining the field of view from the lens focal length
• Determining the zoom ratio corresponding to 1:1 zooming
• Determining tilt limits for asymmetrical panoramas
• Determining panorama pan and tilt ranges
• Determining the number of photographs necessary to achieve the desired overlap
• Cropping
• Determining the tilt range for uncorrected panoramas

http://www.worldserver.com/turk/quicktimevr/authoring.html

Sometimes picky details can be easily explained and that's what the people at Digital Photography - Instant Gratification have managed to do. They have four, brief pages that give you an overview of the VR process beginning with the camera.
http://internetbrothers.com/panorama.htm

How-to's
Brian Lawler has put together a very nicely done PDF file on how to create QuickTime VR's. He points out that he brings 20 years of experience to this process which puts him way ahead of the majority of us. He's explained the entire process in detail with great illustrations that make the process understandable for anyone who is wanting more information. He even shows you how to make your own wooden panoramic mount for the tripod!

http://www.imaging-resource.com/TIPS/LAWLER/PANOHOW2.PDF

Making a scene in VR Tool Worx
Again, from the University of Texas at Austin, comes a clear set of steps on how to create a "scene" using Tool Worx. They are using Mac screen captures, but Tool Worx has very little difference between the two platforms and shouldn't be a problem if you're using Windows.
http://www.edb.utexas.edu/teachnet/QTVR/SceneMaking.html

Illinois State Museum
This site gives you a bit of a sense of the process as it shows you the individual images, the resulting panorama, and then the QuickTime VR movie that was produced.
http://www.museum.state.il.us/qtvr/about_makingpan.html


For Educators

Using QuickTime VR as an Instructional Tool is a production of the New Jersey Center for Multimedia Research. They have a section of their site devoted to simple examples of vr's that can be used in the classroom. They also have provided a chart showing 3 levels of cost associated with different set-ups to produce vr's.
http://www.njcmr.org/njvu/qtvr/qtvrhome.html

QuickTime Virtual Reality for Educators and Just Plain Folks has been put together by the University of Texas at Austin and they've done a wonderful job. If you didn't know where to start, but were considering diving into vr's, this site has a wealth of information in an easy to understand format.
http://www.edb.utexas.edu/teachnet/QTVR/Index.html

Of course, there's also the items we discuss at this site!

Show me some vr's
In addition to the ones we've made that are available at this site, we've come across some additional locations that provide people with a wonderful sense of what could be possible.

QuickTime Panoramas and Pinecam VR Gallery
If you aren't going to get the time to get to Colorado, then you would do well to visit these sites and view the panoramas that have been assembled.
http://rockymountainscenery.com/qtvr.html
http://www.pinecam.com/PinecamVR/portfolio.html

Scroll down this page, QuickTime VR Links, until you are near the bottom and there you will find a wide variety of sources for vr's.
http://www.worldserver.com/turk/quicktimevr/QTVRlinks.html


Virtual Gettsyburg
Primarily showing the vr's that are available from a commercial cd, this site has some beautiful vr's which you can view online that history teachers will love. Take a look.
http://www.virtualgettysburg.com/trfrm.html