Modeling Reality with Virtual Worlds

Virtual reality is starting to takeoff, and in more ways than one. Virtual worlds are internet sites where people can create avatars and explore real places.  In the article “I’ve Been in That Club, Just Not in Real Life” the author describes his experiences using vles.com (Virtual Lower East Side).  The author describes how he attended a concert from the comfort of his own home while using vles.com.

In another article “Going to the virtual office in Second Life” companies are using a separate virtual world called Second Life, which enables companies to have business meetings with others all over the world.  What is good about this type of meeting is that it saves companies time and money.   This type of meeting eliminates traveling to a location to meet another in person. While this sounds like a good idea it does have its cons.  With this type of set-up the possibility of running into a colleague around the office after the meeting cannot occur.  Therefore, if any information is left out of the earlier discussion, sharing the information later because you see the other party around the office cannot happen.  Any news that is unintentionally left out during the initial meeting will have to be included in another virtual office meeting, not when you happen to see the other colleague around the office. Virtual meetings eliminate office and social settings.  Another problem that might arise is with internet connection.  If one person’s internet goes down then how will the meeting take place?   Do they wait?  Do they have it without that person? What if it is the CEO or the person who runs the meeting and what they say goes? Or what if there needs to be an immediate decision that can’t wait?   What happens then? 

The amount of ways you can change your avatar fosters creativity for those on these sites.  You can make your avatar look like a virtual you or someone you always wanted to look like.  In the future I could see people hanging out with other people in virtual worlds similar to the way some business’s have their meetings, but without a work environment.

Blog About Twitter

A Twitter discussion is different than a blackboard discussion.  A tweet is limited to 140 characters making statements very short. It might take multiple tweets to put out one thought.  You can also use (#) hashtags for topics and an (@) at symbols in order to respond to someone.  In a blackboard discussion you can write as much as you want.  If you want to respond you can just reply on the other person’s thread.  A class discussion is different than both of the other two discussions.  In class discussions there is no limit on how much a person can say and it is easier for everyone to communicate because everyone is a room together talking and not behind a keyboard. The problem with in class discussions is that some people are shy and do not like to talk in front of groups of people.  When a discussion happens on either twitter or blackboard that fear of public speaking is eliminated.

Social Networking Sites

When comparing different social networking sites I noticed they all had one thing in common.  They connect everyone to one another, however, in different ways.  Facebook uses a combination of techniques to communicate.   Everything is utilized from pictures and videos, to posting about whatever may be on your mind, to playing games; it has a little of everything.  On Twitter you are limited to the ways you can communicate.     For example, you can write what’s on your mind, but only in 140 characters.  Pictures and videos can be posted as well on Twitter, therefore, the limitations for Twitter are only in the writing part.  Instagram only lets you post photos and videos of whatever you want.  The only writing on Instagram is when adding a caption to a picture.    Snapchat  lets you keep in touch with others also, however, it is more playful.  Snapchat allows you to posts pictures, and is similar to texting.  It permits immediate conversation and is becoming a popular way to communicate.  After pictures are viewed, they disappear.  All four of these social networking sites help to make communicating with others easy and more interesting.

Social Networking

The article In India, Using Facebook to Catch Scofflaw Drivers, examines how traffic police in India, started a Facebook page that citizens use to help find people who violate traffic laws.  Residents post photos of drivers on cellphones, cars in crosswalks, drivers making illegal turns, and improperly parked vehicles.  This Facebook page is beneficial to the people of India.  It has helped 5,000 traffic officers find drivers who break traffic laws, in a city with 2 million people.

A dark side to technology is expressed in the article They’re Back, and They’re Bad. In this article the author reveals that students are anonymously attacking their peers online with the use of message boards.  These message boards encourage students to trash their peers stirring up countless emotions that can be harmful to one self or another. 

In my opinion these technologies might evolve into something more visual.  For example posting a video of a traffic violation on a website to help enforce the law might soon become a reality.  Or personally trashing someone on a website in a visual way, much like face-time, so that all can see who is saying what, might evolve on message boards. 

Who knows what the future will hold?