Well, I have discovered the worst thing at the worst moment... a virtual world called "Second Life". Free. Sort of... the worst part is that it can evaporate hours from your work life...and I still have a week of classes to go! The good part is that you can fly. And teleport.
Tomorrow as a treat for making it through 10 weeks of conceptual database design, I'll log into Second Life (my "in-world" name is "Memex Kardex") and teleport to a pub in a 19th century village to hear winter stories told by other Second Life people. You can talk to each other in real time, you can build your 'avatar' (body) to be whatever you want, and you can dance. Yep. Dance. I can also wave and smile.
Here's a picture of me - what do you think of the groovy hairdo? I only wish I could get enough gel in my real hair to do that... I'm in the place I'll go to tomorrow to hear the stories. It started to snow there shortly after this snapshot was taken. You know, I think computers are great when they can snow.
One of my professors did a panel in SecondLife last week. I heard that an architecture prof at MSU (Bozeman) is holding studio class in SecondLife, where his students can actually build their buildings to see what they'll be like inside and out. And...I've reserved a seat at an event where one of the 7th circuit judges (Judge Richard Posner) is speaking about the Constitution in the era of apocalyptic terrorism. Should be a Revelation. There are 1.7 million people "in-world". Oh, and did I mention money? in the last hour, 665,000 real dollars have somehow managed to change hands. Real Dollars. I promised myself that not one red cent leaves my pocket for this version of entertainment. Oh, and there are libraries in here somewhere too...with real live reference librarians, books, resources, computer labs, and...I can't somehow imagine it all. But then again, I could tell you about the proposed 'Avatar Bill of Rights'...
Cheers!
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