What's Wrong With Real Reality? : Paul@Sun

Friday Oct 13, 2006

What's Wrong With Real Reality?

So, on Monday I found out that Sun had officially entered the world of Second Life. Second Life is a virtual world similar to ours where you can create your own avatar, meet people, own virtual land, and actually set up virtual shops. As far as I can tell, it's basically Sim City meets an MMOG.

Sun's chief researcher, John Gage, and Chief Gaming Officer, Chris Melissinos, held a virtual press conference in the Second Life universe this week to announce "Project Darkstar," which is designed to help developers of online games with server-side technology.

Maybe it's just me, but this whole Second Life thing kind of creeps me out. I have no problems with virtual reality, but I do have problems with a virtual reality that mimics our own reality. I mean, don't we have enough issues and personal "avatars" in our own real reality that we have to deal with? It's like Second Life is a complete reversal of The Matrix plot. Instead of people trying to get out of the Matrix, they are actually willingly going into it. Maybe I'm just a old fuddy-duddy (in technology years) for not embracing it.

But, that said, I do have to hand it to Sun for trying out Second Life as a new way to get the word out about all of our great products and initiatives.

And, BTW, check out the last part of this article. It's nice to know that Second Life isn't perfect. ;)

Posted at 01:32PM Oct 13, 2006 by pkasper in Sun | Comments[4]

Comments:

Respectfully disagree.If you look at the history of online "gathering places" for socializing, communicating, and getting to know each other, we've seen tools like email, forums, chat, and games. I see Second Life as the next step for business and professional communities. A virtual world lets you do lots of interesting things that aren't possible with other mediums, and opens up new and exciting ways to communicate. The experience may feel weird and awkward at first, but so was the first time I chatted over IM.

Posted by Lou Ordorica on October 13, 2006 at 03:47 PM CDT #

Paul is cool.

Posted by Larry on October 13, 2006 at 04:24 PM CDT #

I think you are comparing apples to oranges, but that's fine. And, I'm not saying it won't work...I just don't see the need right for it with all of our other communication vehicles.

Posted by Paul Kasper on October 13, 2006 at 04:31 PM CDT #

If women were all built like the avatars in second life, men wouldn't be sitting at their computers.

Posted by FlexRex on October 13, 2006 at 11:13 PM CDT #