From: http://oregonstate.edu/cws/tutorials/forms/textarea.html
No mention of \"virtual\", I wonder if that really exists.
WRAP specifies how the text will be treated while it is entered into the form. The options for this attribute are; hard, soft, and off. Generally using WRAP=\"SOFT\" is a good option since it allows the text to word wrap as it would in a word processor, making it easier for the user.
If WRAP is not specified, some browsers will assume WRAP=\"OFF\" which causes the TEXTAREA box to scroll right and left as text is entered into the box. Some other browsers assume WRAP=\"SOFT\". Therefore, it is best to always define this for the effect you desire when coding for HTML standards.