[iDC] Anyone using SL

Thu Jan 7 06:28:35 UTC 2010

On Thu, 7 Jan 2010, Jean Burgess wrote:

> Hello all,
>
> Can you indulge me in doing a quick and unscientific survey?
>
> How many of you know any SL users who you did not first encounter in SL, and 
> who are not primarily in some way professionally interested in the potential, 
> uses or implications of SL (e.g. for education, marketing, research)?
>
I've known a number of artists beforehand who are in SL - but they're 
interested in the creative (artistic) uses of SL - which include, of 
course, architecture, performance, dance/choreography, sculpture, 
interactive works, and so forth.

What's interesting about your question - if someone's _not_ interested in 
the uses or implications of SL, he or she would most likely either leave 
or gravitate towards the sexual/communal areas. There's not much reason to 
be there otherwise. RPG absorb almost all of the online/virtual world 
audience - which is given something to do/accomplish - and community or 
sex or relationship is built on or through that.

- Alan

> Because for whatever reason, I don't know anyone who fits that description, 
> several years on. Wondering if my experience is unusual or not, before taking 
> the next step in logic...
>
> Best
> Jean
>
> On 07/01/2010, at 7:50, Alan Sondheim <sondheim at panix.com> wrote:
>
>> 
>> 
>> Hi - I just want to point out that uploading textures and movements etc. is 
>> extremely easy in SL, as is creation - I could literally show you in five 
>> minutes! As far as 'our sense of ourselves' is concerned - you can either 
>> think of being in SL as an interactive (cinematic) diegetic - or spend a 
>> while there; like driving a car it takes a bit of time to feel comfortable. 
>> It's a lot easier than a MOO. What some of us are interested in, by the, 
>> _is_ the feeling of the real (however defined, that's a long story) in SL - 
>> if we want just straightforward fantasy, we can run to Avatar (instead of 
>> running an avatar (sorry)).
>> 
>> - Alan
>> 
>> 
>> On Wed, 6 Jan 2010, Cynthia Beth Rubin wrote:
>> 
>>> HI All
>> 
>> At the recent DAC conference (Digital Art and Culture), Sneha Veeragoudar 
>> Harrell and D. Fox Harrell gave a great paper on some of the issues 
>> surrounding SL. (Exploring the Potential of Computational Self-
>> Representations for Enabling Learning: Examining At-risk Youthsʼ 
>> Development of  Mathematical/Computational Agency)
>> 
>> Although they are specifically addressing the issues of "at risk" teenagers 
>> using Teen Second Life (TSL) the concerns that raised by Sneha and Fox 
>> pertain to all of us.  The teens in their study were uncomfortable taking 
>> on new identifies, especially when those identifies fit certain 
>> stereotypes.
>> 
>> SL is a strange paradox in that it tries to mimic the real world in many 
>> ways, but forces us to enter this world by giving up the one thing that 
>> gives us grounding: our sense of ourselves.  While no doubt many people 
>> welcome this, I am among those who find this bizarre and less than 
>> appealing.  We do not all want avatars - we want other means to break into 
>> new experience that SL almost offers, but not quite. What I want from SL, 
>> or any VR experience, is a lack of reality in the world itself, while 
>> keeping a sense of myself.  I want the opposite of SL.  And I want an easy 
>> interface to be able to creative rather than just experiential, which 
>> includes being able to easily import fanciful colors, textures and 3D forms 
>> built in whatever software works for my own creativity.
>> 
>> This is reminiscent of the history of so much software.  Developers begin 
>> with a narrow focus - remember the early digital imaging software when 
>> "PhotoMac" and "Photoshop" were supposedly only for manipulating 
>> photographs, with great color control but no layers, no easy interface for 
>> creativity.  All of that was left to "Pixel Paint" and "Studio/8" , which 
>> had layers from the start, as well as opacity changes (even in 8 bit) and 
>> all kinds of interesting tools to prompt creative play.  Eventually the 
>> behemoth Adobe bought up or drowned out every one else (but Painter), and 
>> the success of Adobe Photoshop is that it promotes creativity and invention 
>> while still providing the basic tools for those who just want to crop their 
>> photos.
>> 
>> I am guilty of not exploring the creativity within SL - and I do understand 
>> that there are workarounds, but it is my understanding is that constructing 
>> in SL is cumbersome.  I have other things to do while I wait for a desktop 
>> VR interface that will fit into my ongoing workflow.  And this includes one 
>> in which I can really share and communicate with others - in whatever form 
>> they choose to present themselves.
>> 
>> 
>> Cynthia Beth Rubin
>> http://CBRubin.net
>> 
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