I have been talking about the creative and artistic potential of Second Life in recent posts. Now, to talk about using Second Life for meetings, I seem to be going from the sublime to the profane. And I apologize for that. But, if this technology is going to see its potential, it has to begin with some basic but important applications. Don't forget that the earlier adopters of the web did not see it as a commercial environment. And it wasn't until all the dot coms started showing up that the web started becoming a technological force to be reckoned with.
We can safely and fairly divide people into two groups with regard to virtual meetings. Group One feels that you can have virtual meetings in Second Life today so there is no need to consider meetings as a special application. Group Two is unwilling to log into Second Life because they find it bewildering. And there in lies the problem. The functionality needed to attract Group Two is considered too trivial to think about by Group One. But we are going to think about it nonetheless.
What kinds of thing would you have to do in order have a successful meeting in Second Life? Well, first of all you would need to get people to the meeting. One way to do this would be to have default accounts for people to log into that would automatically place them at the meeting. Another way is to have a feature that would automatically offer a teleport to the meeting to an avatar when it logs in. A third possibility would be to set the avatar's home to the meeting location. And a forth possibility would be to develop a meeting object, say a lapel button for the avatar to wear, that would automatically teleport it to the meeting when touched. Now, let's stop and think about this for a minute. People from Group One might say that this functionality could easily be developed. And that may very well be true. But somebody who wants to hold a meeting in Second Life does not want to have to develop it just to have a meeting. They want it to be available already and they want it to be easy to use. So, Group One already has a lot of work to do in order to attract Group Two.
Assume that a Group Two person managed to get their avatar to the meeting location. What next? Well, depending on the person they may want to go directly to the meeting. They may want to look around and get used to the virtual environment. They may want to pick up meeting materials. Or they may wish to pick out some clothes for their avatar. Again, Group Two people would probably say that everybody already knows how to do those things. But that is not true. The Group One people, who make up the vast, vast majority of potential Second Life users, have no idea.
Let's just consider the problem of finding new clothes for one's avatar in preparation for the meeting. In order to find clothes, one has to search for clothing places; they have to teleport to a store; and they have to buy a set of clothes. In order to buy the clothes they have to have money. When they buy the clothes, they usually get an object that needs to be dragged to the ground and opened. Frequently, they cannot do that at the store and need to go to a sandbox. Once they drag the container to the ground and have it rezz, they need to it and copy the items to inventory. Then they drag the items to their avatar. If dressing in real life where this difficult, most people would just walk around naked.
Instead, imagine a room with a row of pictures on the wall showing various outfits. A person can click on an outfit and have it immediately put on their avatar. If they don't like it, they can press a reset button or try on another one. If they like it, they can give it a name and put it on again later by simply typing in a command like "/wear gray suit" in open chat. The point here is to make the Second Life environment easy enough for a normal person to use. Normal people are not excited by the possibilities of Second Life. They just want to go to their meeting as painlessly as possible. And it is the snorts of derision from Group One people that are keeping the Group Two people out and keeping Second Life from fulfilling its potential. If the computer were kept in the hands of Group One people, it would still be computing missile trajectories and I would not be writing this blog.
Next time we will consider functionality to make the meeting go more smoothly and after than we will consider some fundamental changes that would need to take place in the base technology to support these kinds of applications.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Video in Primative Cultures
I think I have an analogy that can provide some perspective on the problems that Second Life is having in getting traction. First consider all the ways in which we use video. It is hard to get your arms around all the uses. We use video for entertainment. We sell products via commercials. We inform people through news programs. We educate people through educational programs and train them with training programs. We use video to document events and to explore possibilities. In fact, the uses of video in today's culture are virtually endless.
Next imagine showing up at a village in the Amazon rain forest with video equipment trying to introduce the villagers to video technology. You give them cameras and take some video of villagers. They are all impress and every body wants to be in front of the camera. However, when it is their turn to do something, they are not quite as enthusiastic. They like it when you shoot the video but when it is their turn they cannot think of what to shoot. They are not really sure what they can shoot. They are not really sure what this technology is good for. "Everything," you say, "it is good for everything. The possibilities are endless." They might even agree that the possibilities are endless but still cannot come up with anything that they may want to do. So, you leave the village frustrated.
I think this analogy is apt because introducing virtual world technology in the early part of the 21th century is a lot like introducing video equipment to primitive villagers. There are a lot of Ooo's and Ahh's but few really grasp what can be done. And moreover, by thinking this analogy through a little further, I think we can see what needs to be done in virtual worlds to overcome this problem.
Let's say our visitor to the Amazon village had to get them to adopt video technology. Let's say they were working on a UN technology transfer grant or for some eccentric philanthropist just to make it believable. How would they get the villagers to accept video technology? Well, doing demos and talking about endless possibilities is probably not the way. This is way too ethereal and way to difficult to grasp.
What would make sense would be to select a single very concrete application to demonstrate the value of video. You might record the chief's speeches to the villages for historical value. You might record wedding ceremonies for their social value. You might record young hunters learning how to hunt for its educational value. It would probably be difficult to select one thing, but that is what you would have to do. Pick one thing and show how video is useful in that one case. Once people became more familiar with video they could see other uses. But, initially they would need a very concrete example.
I think the same could be said for virtual world technology in general and Second Life in particular. There are way too many possibilities and people need a concrete example. I think the uses that I discussed in the previous post for using Second Life for personal development are still not concrete enough. They are very compelling but probably not the place to start. I think the place to begin is with a very mundane, very concrete application. Perhaps something like using Second Life for virtual meetings. This application is as promising as it is boring. And I will take it up next.
Next imagine showing up at a village in the Amazon rain forest with video equipment trying to introduce the villagers to video technology. You give them cameras and take some video of villagers. They are all impress and every body wants to be in front of the camera. However, when it is their turn to do something, they are not quite as enthusiastic. They like it when you shoot the video but when it is their turn they cannot think of what to shoot. They are not really sure what they can shoot. They are not really sure what this technology is good for. "Everything," you say, "it is good for everything. The possibilities are endless." They might even agree that the possibilities are endless but still cannot come up with anything that they may want to do. So, you leave the village frustrated.
I think this analogy is apt because introducing virtual world technology in the early part of the 21th century is a lot like introducing video equipment to primitive villagers. There are a lot of Ooo's and Ahh's but few really grasp what can be done. And moreover, by thinking this analogy through a little further, I think we can see what needs to be done in virtual worlds to overcome this problem.
Let's say our visitor to the Amazon village had to get them to adopt video technology. Let's say they were working on a UN technology transfer grant or for some eccentric philanthropist just to make it believable. How would they get the villagers to accept video technology? Well, doing demos and talking about endless possibilities is probably not the way. This is way too ethereal and way to difficult to grasp.
What would make sense would be to select a single very concrete application to demonstrate the value of video. You might record the chief's speeches to the villages for historical value. You might record wedding ceremonies for their social value. You might record young hunters learning how to hunt for its educational value. It would probably be difficult to select one thing, but that is what you would have to do. Pick one thing and show how video is useful in that one case. Once people became more familiar with video they could see other uses. But, initially they would need a very concrete example.
I think the same could be said for virtual world technology in general and Second Life in particular. There are way too many possibilities and people need a concrete example. I think the uses that I discussed in the previous post for using Second Life for personal development are still not concrete enough. They are very compelling but probably not the place to start. I think the place to begin is with a very mundane, very concrete application. Perhaps something like using Second Life for virtual meetings. This application is as promising as it is boring. And I will take it up next.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Second Life for Personal Growth
In this post I want to explore three ways in which Second Life can contribute to your personal growth. These include enriching experiences, role switching, and overcoming social anxieties. This is not to say that these are the only three ways in which Second Life can contribute to your personal growth. It is merely to say that these are the ways that come to mind at the moment.
There are some fairly standard ways in which we enrich ourselves in real life. Most people would say that travel is enriching. Many would say that visiting art galleries and museums is enriching. Some would say that taking classes or doing volunteer work helping people is enriching. All of these things are possible in Second Life and you don't even have to leave your desk to do them. I visited an island recently called Suffugium. It is a cyberpunk rendering of a future world. I have actually been there many times and I am always astonished at the effort that was put into the place to provide an interesting and artistic experience for the visitors. You can walk around this wonderful location and experience the art and the political message. It simulates your thought and your creativity. And, there are hundreds of other similar locations, each one unique, which provide enriching and thought provoking messages and experiences.
The second way in which Second Life can provide you with personal growth is through role switching. We are who we are and we tend to see life from our very own perspective. But, how does the world appear differently to people of the other gender? Do younger or older people see things differently? Are life experiences different for people of a different social class or ethnicity? Do people of a different sexual orientation get treated differently? How can you know the answers to these questions without changing who you are and going out into the world as somebody else? The answer, of course, is that in Second Life you can do just that. And if you do, you will be astonished at how different life presents itself to you. Seeing the world through the eyes of others is good for you. It broadens your perspectives, and helps you become more compassionate, understanding and tolerant. All good stuff.
Finally, many people suffer from social anxieties such as shyness, fear of crowds, or fear of speaking in front people. It is possible to limit the impact of these anxieties through systematic desensitization. For example, you may speak in front of one person, then two, then three and so on. However, this systematic desensitization in real life can still be difficult. Just setting up the scenarios can present logistical problems. And you may still be afraid of blushing or shaking. In a virtual world you can take baby steps to overcoming these anxieties. People do not actually see you, they only see your avatar. So you get a bit of protection. But, even more importantly, people in a virtual world are much more supportive and much less judgmental than they are in the real world. So the barriers are lower.
These are just a few of the ways in which Second Life can help enrich and improve you. Unfortunately, this capability exists today largely as a possibility. And one of the most frustrating things about Second Life is that all these possibilities exist simultaneously with none of them being fully exploited.
There are some fairly standard ways in which we enrich ourselves in real life. Most people would say that travel is enriching. Many would say that visiting art galleries and museums is enriching. Some would say that taking classes or doing volunteer work helping people is enriching. All of these things are possible in Second Life and you don't even have to leave your desk to do them. I visited an island recently called Suffugium. It is a cyberpunk rendering of a future world. I have actually been there many times and I am always astonished at the effort that was put into the place to provide an interesting and artistic experience for the visitors. You can walk around this wonderful location and experience the art and the political message. It simulates your thought and your creativity. And, there are hundreds of other similar locations, each one unique, which provide enriching and thought provoking messages and experiences.
The second way in which Second Life can provide you with personal growth is through role switching. We are who we are and we tend to see life from our very own perspective. But, how does the world appear differently to people of the other gender? Do younger or older people see things differently? Are life experiences different for people of a different social class or ethnicity? Do people of a different sexual orientation get treated differently? How can you know the answers to these questions without changing who you are and going out into the world as somebody else? The answer, of course, is that in Second Life you can do just that. And if you do, you will be astonished at how different life presents itself to you. Seeing the world through the eyes of others is good for you. It broadens your perspectives, and helps you become more compassionate, understanding and tolerant. All good stuff.
Finally, many people suffer from social anxieties such as shyness, fear of crowds, or fear of speaking in front people. It is possible to limit the impact of these anxieties through systematic desensitization. For example, you may speak in front of one person, then two, then three and so on. However, this systematic desensitization in real life can still be difficult. Just setting up the scenarios can present logistical problems. And you may still be afraid of blushing or shaking. In a virtual world you can take baby steps to overcoming these anxieties. People do not actually see you, they only see your avatar. So you get a bit of protection. But, even more importantly, people in a virtual world are much more supportive and much less judgmental than they are in the real world. So the barriers are lower.
These are just a few of the ways in which Second Life can help enrich and improve you. Unfortunately, this capability exists today largely as a possibility. And one of the most frustrating things about Second Life is that all these possibilities exist simultaneously with none of them being fully exploited.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Avatar Identity Construction
When you create an avatar to represent you in Second Life, you do more than just select a little character. You select a vehicle for self expression. You begin by selecting a default avatar and then evolve it over time. This process of avatar evolution is critical in the construction of your avatar's identity. And, to the credit of Linden Labs, they have provided, sometimes in an indirect way, incredible tools to help you in this process of constructing your avatar's identity. You can modify the shape or other characteristics of your avatar. You can create your own shapes off line and import them. You can buy shapes from designers. You can be tall or short, frumpy or proud. You can be sexy or conservative. And, if you don't like what you have chosen you can change, again and again and again.
You can buy accouterments such as hair, jewelry and clothing. You can get tattoos or piercings. In short, you can try all the things in Second Life that you wanted to try in real life but did not have the nerve. This is a wonderful and safe way to explore self expression.
Beyond your looks, you can define your avatar identity through the groups you join or the people you hang out with. You can define yourself by the ways in which you talk to other people. You can write things in your profile to further define yourself. You can leave notes that only you can see in the profiles of other avatars so that you can remember your friends, how you met them and what you think about them.
You can try on differnt roles and identities. Many people have one avatar that serves as a mentor, there to help, and another alt to just hang out and chat. In real life we are often trapped in a role. Perhaps you are a teacher, a manager, or a public servant. You may feel you have an image to protect. Wouldn't you just love to be an annoying pain in the ass some times. Yes, who wouldn't. But, alas, in real life that isn't so easy.
Choosing different avatar identities provides you with two important benefits. First, you can explore who you are. You can 'try on' different identities to see how they feel. You might find that you are really not who you think you are. Second, you can see how other people experience the world. Try creating avatars of a different race, gender or social class. You will be surprised at how different the experience is.
In this way, you can think of Second Life as a 'self editor'. And, as a 'self editor' Second Life is par excellence. If you can imagine a self you can create it. And if you can create it, you can experience life through it. Yes, people become very attached to their avatars and they do begin to experience life through them. Not only does a person create and evolve the avatar. Over time, through the experiences of the avatar, the person begins to create and evolve who they really are. And it is the potential that Second Life offers for personal growth and development that is one of its most impressive capabilities. Next time we will look at Second Life as a vehicle for personal growth.
You can buy accouterments such as hair, jewelry and clothing. You can get tattoos or piercings. In short, you can try all the things in Second Life that you wanted to try in real life but did not have the nerve. This is a wonderful and safe way to explore self expression.
Beyond your looks, you can define your avatar identity through the groups you join or the people you hang out with. You can define yourself by the ways in which you talk to other people. You can write things in your profile to further define yourself. You can leave notes that only you can see in the profiles of other avatars so that you can remember your friends, how you met them and what you think about them.
You can try on differnt roles and identities. Many people have one avatar that serves as a mentor, there to help, and another alt to just hang out and chat. In real life we are often trapped in a role. Perhaps you are a teacher, a manager, or a public servant. You may feel you have an image to protect. Wouldn't you just love to be an annoying pain in the ass some times. Yes, who wouldn't. But, alas, in real life that isn't so easy.
Choosing different avatar identities provides you with two important benefits. First, you can explore who you are. You can 'try on' different identities to see how they feel. You might find that you are really not who you think you are. Second, you can see how other people experience the world. Try creating avatars of a different race, gender or social class. You will be surprised at how different the experience is.
In this way, you can think of Second Life as a 'self editor'. And, as a 'self editor' Second Life is par excellence. If you can imagine a self you can create it. And if you can create it, you can experience life through it. Yes, people become very attached to their avatars and they do begin to experience life through them. Not only does a person create and evolve the avatar. Over time, through the experiences of the avatar, the person begins to create and evolve who they really are. And it is the potential that Second Life offers for personal growth and development that is one of its most impressive capabilities. Next time we will look at Second Life as a vehicle for personal growth.
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