Having completed our review of our 2009 predictions, we're back for another round for the coming year. 1. OpenSim will continue or even improve on its growth trajectory - the momentum will continue, although a handful of larger grids are likely to have the lion's share of that growth, with all the challenges that go along with it. 2. Australia will have its first government … [Read more...] about Virtual worlds predictions for 2010
Op-ed
2009 predictions review
Twelve months ago we published our ten predictions for 2009. Below is the report card on them. 2009: how accurate was our crystal ball? Prediction 1: OpenSim grids will bleed Second Life users - this may seem a very obvious prediction given the growth of OpenSim grids, but what I mean here is that the exodus will be obvious. It won’t be a migration that will affect Second … [Read more...] about 2009 predictions review
Alter Ego on SBS, and thoughts on vocabulary, identity, truth and perspective
So, here I am, watching the Alter Ego documentary on SBS. Indeed, it is still running at the time I am writing this. I’m not really quite sure what I expected. Not the usual sense of regretful chagrin that I’d expect at a documentary on Second Life, because Writer/Director Shelley Matulick is basically a good sort. Nevertheless, the emotion that most comes to the surface right … [Read more...] about Alter Ego on SBS, and thoughts on vocabulary, identity, truth and perspective
Surfing the virtual world hype
Riding the hype wave of a new technology with a “world-first” isn’t exactly unusual. We’ve seen this a lot with Second Life, right? But there’s actually other, more interesting lessons to be learned. Firstly, the newspapers and magazines don’t really check if you’re first, so if you want you can just copy what someone else is doing. This happened a whole heck of a lot. If … [Read more...] about Surfing the virtual world hype
Virtual worlds as lawn mowing
Although it's mostly a throwback to the mid to late 20th Century, there's still a significant cohort of Australians who associate mowing the lawn with the 'Aussie lifestyle' (I hate generalisations, but bear with me). There's no shortage of people who still dream of owning their own land, on which they can inflict the weekly spring and summer routine of mowing the lawn. Last … [Read more...] about Virtual worlds as lawn mowing