Why I hang out in Second Life
I met my friend Bill Bentley by responding to a message he posted on a Yahoo message board. We've since talked on the phone, chatted through instant messaging, exchanged e-mail messages and shook hands in the virtual world Second Life. Bill and I have never met in person, yet it doesn't matter. We've built a trusted relationship.
Over the phone, he's a voice. Through e-mail and IM messages, he appears as a screen name. In Second Life, his presence is shown as an avatar.
Here's virtual Bill in avatar form
Here's virtual me in avatar form
I see virtual worlds as just another means by which people can connect. Communicating virtually doesn't replace in-person--it augments it.
Universities have been early adopters of virtual worlds for real-world learning.
MIT Professor Joe Paradiso is working on a project called X-Reality, which extends the virtual and in-person experience.
The result, says Paradiso, will be a physical building that users can access from anywhere in the world. ... an X-Reality meeting would take place largely in the real world, with some virtual world users participating via Paradiso's "wormholes." "We're just extending human perception through these nodes," says Paradiso. "We're funneling bits back and forth to the virtual world."Back in the real-world... Someday Bill and I will meet each other in-person. Yet, isn't it great that we didn't need to wait for "someday" to build a trusted relationship.
All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players. William Shakespeare
P.S. Want to experience a virtual world learning seminar? Value-Train is hosting a series of free seminars. They'll even provide you with a free Second Life orientation prior to the seminar.