THIS IS IT this is it, it's coming!!!

[avad]

Oh I'm so excited. B and I logged on last night on the 7dayfreetrial for Second Life. The possibilities are endless. His mind is blown. I'm trying to stop myself from my egoful 'I told you so-ing'. Yes I dreamt this back in 97 (when I was not involved with computers at ALL- not even email). The dream was intricate and detailed ...about the power of charity/philanthropy memes within this bizarre, completely engaging immersive 3d environment portal to be.
Since then I have been on a sort of quest..and now the graphics have evolved to be engaging enough (you'll be wowed) and it all seems to be coming together!! Look!:

"Morgantown, WV -- June 4, 2004 -- On May 28, thirty or so people gathered for a charity auction to raise funds for the Electronic Freedom Foundation (EFF). They bid on a variety of items, including one of a kind couture from the world's top designers and a set of sculptures from an up and coming artist, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars. What makes this event so unique isthey gathered in the online world of Second Life(r) and the hundreds of thousands they raised were in the game's currency -- Linden dollars -- that were then converted to US$900 on the currency exchange site Gaming Open Market (GOM).

This event was the culmination of a month-long fundraising campaign launched in Second Life by Virtual Economies Realizing True Usefulness (VERTU), a virtual non-profit organization founded by player Sarah Einstein. Einstein, who is known in world as Bhodi Silverman, started VERTU as a way to bring real world philanthropy to the gaming community. Says Einstein, "I wanted to create a way for the virtual community to participate in real world efforts for social justice and to bring awareness of these issues into Second Life."

The EFF campaign, VERTU's first, raised over $1,700.00 during a month of activities that included parties, auctions and even lectures with EFF's Activism Coordinator, Ren Bucholz, on topics such as Exporting American IP: Trade Agreements, Treaties and Policy Laundering. "This is a great example of what can happen if technology users aren't treated solely as 'consumers.' I'm really happy to have been a part of this," says Bucholz about the campaign."
READ all about it, see links and project ahead!!!!

Comments

[unluckymonkey.livejournal.com]

It IS coming but it scares the hell outa me. I want to go live on a farm and raise sheep, chickens, alpaca and goats. people getting wrapped up this much in something like this scares me as an anti-gamer. I'm looking forward to your writings about it. I want to see it through your eyes because it tends to jsut leave me with my head shaking in disbelief. Keep me posted! You're intelligent, insightful and I am truely curious.

[zensaru.livejournal.com]

I've looked at SecondLife and it's amazing - probably too amazing - I might not escape :)

A few years ago, there was a similar, but mush less pretty 3D environment called ActiveWorlds. Did you ever visit that? Many many similar social concepts and experiments existed there, although I must say that AW just a 3D chatroom for most people I encountered. My daughter spent a lot of time building environments there over the course of 2 or 3 years.

[zensaru.livejournal.com]

Of course, the defining characteristic is property rights and an open approach to markets. Contrast this to the other online games that claim all digital assets belong to the provider (I'm thinking EverQuest). I was really excited to see land auctions, because this means that there will be monetization as a matter of course rather than as a black market/afterthought.

[rosylavie.livejournal.com]

Thanks a lot for this entry! I'm going to subscribe to Second Life. Can you tell what is your SL name, so I can refer your name in the subscription form? Also... we may meet there sometimes :-)

Peace,

Julie

[rokkitz.livejournal.com]

ah hrmm hmm time to upgrade computer...