Transcript of the Virtual World Education Roundtable January 13th 2022
Topic: What do people mean by “Metaverse”?
Photos by Sheila Yoshikawa
Sheila Yoshikawa: Hi everyone, and welcome to the Virtual Worlds Education Roundtable. We meet on Thursdays at 12 noon SLT for an hour.
Sheila Yoshikawa: VWER is a forum to educate and inform the community about issues that are important and relevant to education in virtual worlds.
Sheila Yoshikawa: This is a public meeting, so we will be keeping and publishing a transcript in due course. The transcripts can be found at https://vwer.info/.
Sheila Yoshikawa: The VWER continues to develop a community of educators from around the world. Please join the VWER group here in SL.
Sheila Yoshikawa: If you are on Facebook please join our group there http://www.facebook.com/groups/159154226946/
Sheila Yoshikawa: The topic for this week’s meeting will be:
Sheila Yoshikawa: What do people mean by “metaverse”?
Sheila Yoshikawa: First let’s start by introducing ourselves. Please type as much or as little about yourself as you want to, in text chat.
Sheila Yoshikawa: Just type in all at once.
Jamie Jordan (jwheels.carver): I’m Jamie and I work with Selby on many virtual world projects. our focus right now is https://3dwebworldz.com/
Sheila Yoshikawa: I am a faculty member in teh Information School, University of Sheffield, England and I’m leader of VWER
Fɪɴᴀ 小霜 (sapphira.franizzi): :-.,_,.-:‘'*Yayyyyyyy!!!!*:-.,_,.-:*'‘*
ThinkererSelby Evans (thinkerer.melville): Selby Evans, Fort Worth, blogger, retired prof. of psychology
https://virtualoutworlding.blogspot.com/
Bevan Whitfield: France/NYC metro area – International Business Analyst – French-English Translator/Editor – SEO Management & Localisation – Rockcliffe University Board of Directors – Gourmande Extraordinaire
PI (pi.illios): PI Illios Virtual Reference medical Librarian & Library Website Content Developer & Manager Conrado F. Asenjo Library University of Puerto Rico’s Medical Sciences Campus https://www.upr.edu/biblioteca-rcm FB https://www.facebook.com/PicaraPI Twitter @PI_illios
Coughran Mayo: * * * *
Dick Dillon, Consultant, Innovaision, LLC, St. Louis MO – a consulting group in RL and SL
Second Life involvement includes: ⚫ NPC Board Member ⚫ Chief Custodian of Mindful Cove region ⚫ Moderator of Community Developers of Second Life group
I hold SL office hours (“Coffee and Conversation”) on Wednesdays, from 11:15 – 12:30 at the Innovaision, LLC office. Come by and join in the conversation! http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Plush%20Nonprofit%20Commons/116/60/26
* * * *
Fɪɴᴀ 小霜 (sapphira.franizzi): I’m Fina. I’m a cat. 🐱
Michael (themagicalbeing): Michael, Head of technology focus on cloud and web.
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): I’m curious, and in SL at the moment because of a challenge that was presented to me during an OSCC meeting. My i nterests are: I’m curious about your story. What: Brought you here? Keeps you here?
Do you HyperGrid? Frequent other virtual worlds?
What is your stance on Digital Citizenship?
What do you value in learning, libraries, & well-being?
Sheila Yoshikawa: I should also have introduced Beltane, my Kittycat, when I teleported in I forgot beltane was following me
Sheila Yoshikawa: but he’s fallen asleep
Delia Lake: Hi. I wanted to be here but I’m still working in RL so am only partly here
Fɪɴᴀ 小霜 (sapphira.franizzi): he looks comfy!
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): Hello everyone, Shiloh e. here Special Events Coordinator with Science Circle
Michael (themagicalbeing): Same for me.. working rl .. somehow
Sheila Yoshikawa: @Shaerken – interesting questions!
Sheila Yoshikawa: and if we run out of steam discussing “metaverse” we can tackle those!
Fɪɴᴀ 小霜 (sapphira.franizzi): Shaerken coming through with the questions!
Sheila Yoshikawa: also – next week is “Open Forum” where people can bring any question
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): This mtg was fortuitous for me, because it seems to be about what I’m exploring.
Darkejade Tempest (darkejade): Hi folks 🙂
Sheila Yoshikawa: So In the notecard I start things off
PI (pi.illios): Hi Dark
heila Yoshikawa: I will just copy the text and add a few comments to start
Sheila Yoshikawa: I say “The “Metaverse” has become a popular term, with some influencers redefining it in a way to exclude virtual worlds (see e.g. https://twitter.com/TomFfiske/status/1469829338140971009).”
Sheila Yoshikawa: so actually this twitter thread I found provoking
Sheila Yoshikawa: it starts with Ffiske saying
Sheila Yoshikawa: “It’s pretty incredible how many metaverse experts exist when it technically doesn’t exist yet “
Sheila Yoshikawa: then Draxtor weighed in saying
[2022/01/13 12:10] Stranger Nightfire: texture cache about to crash me time to relog
[2022/01/13 12:10] Sheila Yoshikawa: “uhm HELLO? ” and retweeted one of his own tweets saying the metaverse had been around for 20 years
Sheila Yoshikawa: various other people replied in a similar way
Sheila Yoshikawa: and most times Ffiske replied
Sheila Yoshikawa: “Second Life isn’t the metaverse; it is a private virtual world that is not interoperable with other places. The definition of the metaverse many people follow is the upcoming one which acts as the successor to the internet. SL set the foundations, but it wasn’t it.”
Fɪɴᴀ 小霜 (sapphira.franizzi): lol@Facebook trying to be all original like
ThinkererSelby Evans (thinkerer.melville): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metaverse
Sheila Yoshikawa: he kept repeating that
Sheila Yoshikawa: Ffiske has written a book, and looking that up on Amazon I saw what a large number of books about the metaverse came out at the end of last year and are scheduled
Sheila Yoshikawa: I mention some in the notecard
Sheila Yoshikawa: – A forthcoming book “The Metaverse: And How it Will Revolutionize Everything” by Matthew Ball says in the blurb that the metaverse is “a persistent, 3D, virtual world―a network of interconnected experiences and devices, tools and infrastructure, far beyond mere virtual reality. And it is poised to revolutionize every industry and function, from finance and healthcare to payments, consumer products, and even sex work.”
- THE METAVERSE: Beginner’s Guide to the Future Digital Revolution by William J. Batts (Dec 2021) sys “Metaverse is a network of interconnected experiences and devices, tools and infrastructure, far beyond just virtual reality. This will revolutionize every industry and function, from finance and healthcare to payments and consumer products.” and from the book you will learn ” How and from what the Metaverse is born; Augmented, Virtual and Extended Reality; The possible applications of the Metaverse; How to create a new identity on the Metaverse; How to invest in the
[2022/01/13 12:13] Sheila Yoshikawa: Metaverse, NFT, ETF, Cryptocurrencies and more; How to create and sell items in the Metaverse” - “The Metaverse: Buying Virtual Land, NFTs, VR, Web3 & Preparing For the Next Big Thing!” by Terry Winters Tom Ffiske’s online newsletter is here https://us15.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=79a59169e0b77435ae7265651&id=60169ffa76 and his book is here https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B084T5HTLB
Coughran Mayo: Will we have definition by disqualification then? The metaverse is what is left when we identify all of the things that aren’t the metaverse? Sounds ponderous
Sheila Yoshikawa: it seems like a group of people are redefining the metaverse so they can say what they are doing is novel?
Sheila Yoshikawa: yes, @Coughran, seems a bit …. negative
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): I would have to agree with that Sheila, and add, it’s a commercial attempt to create another monopoly, that will benefit only specific people’s pockets financially.
Fɪɴᴀ 小霜 (sapphira.franizzi): so they can claim it for themselves
Sheila Yoshikawa: I suppose it is the way of the world
Sheila Yoshikawa: and in fact it happens in academia rather too much as well
Coughran Mayo: Well, Linden Lab has been selling plots for a long time, Kitely does it, anyone setting up a new platform will do it. Inevitable. The question is will someone be able to monopolize the market.
Michael (themagicalbeing): Don’t forget that many of these people are building definitions that will allow them to make money so it is based on what they know or already have.
Stranger Nightfire: it will ultimately be a great boon to the national surveillance state
Coughran Mayo: Or could I set up a single region on my home server, with a great set of linkages to the REST of the metaverse, and sell that property too, or even give it away?
Sheila Yoshikawa: @Michael including writing books/running courses that tell other people how to make money
Stranger Nightfire: now they will be tracking people’s eye movements within the virtual world
Coughran Mayo: Because in the end, the best metaverse will connect any and all projects.
Sheila Yoshikawa: @Stranger yikes yes
Sheila Yoshikawa: just imagining a SL where adverts get interposed every time I teleport
ThinkererSelby Evans (thinkerer.melville): There is no way anyone could monopolize digital land. We can create as much as we want in OpenSimulator
Michael (themagicalbeing): and alexa walking around with you.
Sheila Yoshikawa: or popping up periodically in this chat bar (without me having asked for them that is – in fact because I belong to groups, actually I do sort of get adverts)
Sheila Yoshikawa: I suppose if you want to monetize everything, that opensim seems rather a waste of space
Sheila Yoshikawa: do you think the redefinition of metaverse is ALL about moneymaking and monopoly? or is there a genuine shift in possibility/conception?
Fɪɴᴀ 小霜 (sapphira.franizzi): ALL about it!
Fɪɴᴀ 小霜 (sapphira.franizzi): can’t trust billionaires
Coughran Mayo: +++Selby. As long as the overlords don’t block OS from the rest of the metaverse. Like Linden Lab has so far
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): One of my questions, I have is what steps can we take to educate the public at large about what our definitions of “metaverse” are and how they are beneficial to the public (on multi-levels) so that it’s not one-sided as it seems as presented by the ruling tribes of FB.
Sheila Yoshikawa: good question Shaerken!
Bevan Whitfield: I think that’s one of the reasons Philip is coming back –
Sheila Yoshikawa: Engaging in dialogue like Draxtor did with Fiske at least opens up the debate
Sheila Yoshikawa: tiny grain of sand argument-wise, but if I and others who like me mostly just moan but don’t challenge – makes a little difference…..
Michael (themagicalbeing): Yes. I think more people need to get involved.
Sheila Yoshikawa: Do you think Philip will help to “educate the public at large”?
Bevan Whitfield: absolutely
Sheila Yoshikawa: why, or how?
Bevan Whitfield: As I said earlier, I follow his twitter feed and he is very vocal about this –
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): I don’t know this person. My first question is why did he leave SL in the first place? And what are his motives for returning?
Bevan Whitfield: every time someone says “this is new” etc, he comes out swinging
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): Sheila, and others, I wonder if cyber currency is primed to take off as the meta verse evolves
ThinkererSelby Evans (thinkerer.melville): Metaverse discussion here: https://www.reddit.com/r/metaverse/
Sheila Yoshikawa: https://twitter.com/philiprosedale
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): I think it is called crypto currency, sorry …
Bevan Whitfield: and corrects people when they “assume” the wrong things …I’m not surprised in the least he’s “Returning to Take On the Metaverse”.
Sheila Yoshikawa: (just followed him! don’t know why I didn’t before)
Sheila Yoshikawa: Thanks @Slby!
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): Bevan … Phil Rosedale is returning?
Bevan Whitfield: yes
Bevan Whitfield: Linden Lab Press Release: https://www.lindenlab.com/releases/high-fidelity-invests-in-second-life
Bevan Whitfield: Hello (Again) to Second Life Founder Philip Rosedale – Second Life Founder Returns to Take On the Metaverse
https://community.secondlife.com/blogs/entry/9817-hello-again-to-second-life-founder-philip-rosedale/
Bevan Whitfield: High Fidelity has cut a deal with Linden Lab, the maker of the virtual world Second Life, that will bring Linden Lab founder Philip Rosedale back as a strategic adviser.
https://venturebeat.com/2022/01/13/philip-rosedales-high-fidelity-cuts-deal-with-second-life-maker-linden-lab/
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): TY for the link to the twitter he has.
Bevan Whitfield: tons more come out this afternoon, I’ll read those later
ThinkererSelby Evans (thinkerer.melville): https://www.theinformation.com/articles/founder-philip-rosedale-on-his-return-to-second-life-the-metaverse-and-meta-s-missteps
Bevan Whitfield: Just reading what he’s been saying since FB brought out this Meta thing, I knew he’d be all over this
Bevan Whitfield: I read that article, Thinkerer and I found that many later “misrepresented” what he said in that article
Bevan Whitfield: lots of “oh remember SL” and “oh is that SL game really still around?”
Shandra (killlashandra.lavendel): whispers: sad face selby that link is behind a pay wall thank you for posting though
Sheila Yoshikawa: yes for me too
Bevan Whitfield: and the horrible New York Times wedding article that misrepresented SL
Shandra (killlashandra.lavendel): I agree with you Bevan. I find the news articles lately that talk about SL misrepresent it, and constantly calling it a game is painful.
Bevan Whitfield: so yes, SLers were getting pretty angry and frustrated – the marketing for SL since I joined in 2007 has been less than stellar, even though I adored Peter.
Sheila Yoshikawa: One action I will take is responding to an article in the New Scientist – which is a good publication – which included a reference to SL saying that it had petered out – with some publications you know they don’t care about accuracy, but I think it’s worth targetting those that do
ThinkererSelby Evans (thinkerer.melville): https://www.protocol.com/bulletins/philip-rosedale-linden-lab
Sheila Yoshikawa: @Shandra & Bevan agree
Bevan Whitfield: I was very very pleased to learn the news that this was happening – I knew something had to happen, that Philip would not put up with this crap about his/our fabulous, creative, brilliant, economically stable community.
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): I agree, Sheila
PI (pi.illios): I agree Bevan
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): target the publications that matter.
Sheila Yoshikawa: I think they could help, for example, by making up to date statistics about SL easier to get hold of
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): obviously these publication journalists never attend non profit nor education meetings, nor any of the vibrant science community
Bevan Whitfield: oh 100%
Sheila Yoshikawa: even though they may not be as impressive as 10 years ago they are still much better than what’s being bandied around
Bevan Whitfield: you have to feed them articles, numbers, videos
ThinkererSelby Evans (thinkerer.melville): Second Life current user stats. https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/623278472950589976/344511460154454697#
Sheila Yoshikawa: yes, I was thinking, having a up to date fact pack to scoop up and feed to people/media when you spot something wrong
Sheila Yoshikawa: @Selby that link isn’t right I think?
Bevan Whitfield: Oh cool, just read this: “”After the deal, Linden Lab will have about 165 people. High Fidelity’s tech team will bolster Linden Lab’s engineering team by about 20%.””
Bevan Whitfield: and a fabulous quote from Philip: “The transaction will help Second Life further scale its operations and strengthen its commitment to growing an innovative, inclusive, and diverse metaverse where its inhabitants’ ingenuity drives real-world value for themselves and others.”
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): A lot of the public doesn’t have “technical” experience … are the already venues/media/outreach_techniques set up to share the “stories” or ordinary users and what the SL, Open Simulator, and other virtual worlds allow people to participate in? Learning, sharing, etc? (that’s not succinctly written if I’m not clear ask me for clarification). We need to reach the bulk of the public.
Sheila Yoshikawa: yay!
Stranger Nightfire: so this is actually a merger of sorts
Sheila Yoshikawa: I think that is also where having stories from browser-based worlds like 3DWebWorldz is useful too
Bevan Whitfield: We have the tools to reach the public, but many don’t know how to use those – we spoke about this when the educators had the same questions at the last VWEC meeting
Sheila Yoshikawa: there is no pretending that SL isn’t demanding on bandwidth and processing
Bevan Whitfield: Stranger, I think Philip just juggled his two boards to be able to come over here
Stranger Nightfire: that sounds good because High Fidelity had a lot of great ideas going on
Sheila Yoshikawa: yes
Bevan Whitfield: I’m sure he has put the right people in charge while he’s gone.
Stranger Nightfire: I mean if his people are going to be working hands on with LL people
Sheila Yoshikawa: So – just to check – do we think Second Life, Kitely, OpenSim and so forth ARE definitely part of the metaverse?
Bevan Whitfield: You have to do that to ensure your board is ok with you leaving your company to go back to your other company
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): I crash incessantly, and Firestorm is not keeping pace with graphics drivers updates
Stranger Nightfire: hope this means we will get a major improvement In SL voice, since voice has become the focus at High Fidelity
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): They have been the metaverse, along with internet and e-mail and other non-physical means of sharing information, in my estimation Sheila.
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): From a beginner’s point of view, even a phone is representative of a metaverse.
Sheila Yoshikawa: yes
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): an old nondigital phone
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): even a tv
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): or a radio.
ThinkererSelby Evans (thinkerer.melville): sorry for mixup== here it is: https://api.secondlife.com/datafeeds/homepage.txt
Sheila Yoshikawa: thanks!!!
Stranger Nightfire: metaverse is really a pretty lose and abstract term, going back to its origins in cyberpunk literature
PI (pi.illios): Well if we see it like that we can begin with the “Technology is a pencil”
PI (pi.illios): Yes it began that way
Michael (themagicalbeing): Good point PI
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): with the observation that a pencil is physical and transmits it’s information on physical product … yes.
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): the radio, phone, telephone are physical items …
PI (pi.illios): mmhm
Stranger Nightfire: and again now we have Zuckerberg trying to hijack it
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): however, they transmit their information on waves … or whatever they are called.
Sheila Yoshikawa: When Ffiske said “The definition of the metaverse many people follow is the upcoming one which acts as the successor to the internet.” – I tend also to think – what IS the internet now? That isn’t a static thing (as someone who was there from the first web browser)
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): first time I came across the term in SL was 12 years ago
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): The communities I grew up with began with AOL and Compuserve.
Sheila Yoshikawa: @Shaerken – the voices coming through a phone aren’t exactly physical?
Shandra (killlashandra.lavendel): /me agrees with AOL
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): I didn’t have the know how to use other forums in the 80’s
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): they cannot be touched Sheila.
Delia Lake: So in that sense a book, a novel, well even a story told — one that transported the listener — could be considered part of the metaverse?
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): so to me they are waves.
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): if the book is not on paper? yes, I’d say so.
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): consider all the e-books.
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): consider the older phrase “metaphysical”
ThinkererSelby Evans (thinkerer.melville): You read any book with photons
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): which may have lead to “metaverse”
Sheila Yoshikawa: @Delia – perhaps even more someone weaving a story in telling it, to create a world you get drawn into?
Bevan Whitfield: I head the word when I got here in 2007, not only because of Metanomics and Metaverse Week in Review, but it’s a word that was impossible not to hear at that time.
Sheila Yoshikawa: or people (usually children) joining in imaginary roleplay ……
Fɪɴᴀ 小霜 (sapphira.franizzi): spiderverse!
PI (pi.illios): grins
Sheila Yoshikawa: @Bevan yet same here then I read the obligatory Snow Crash
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): Delia, “oral storytelling” yes.
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): (I type slowly and cannot always keep up with chat scrooll, if my responses seem out of order, please forebear.)
PI (pi.illios): Same here Shaerken Do not worrry
Sheila Yoshikawa: That’s fne @Shaerken we all have those issues!
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): ty
Shandra (killlashandra.lavendel): Books and metaverse, has any one read snow crash?
PI (pi.illios): Yes
Fɪɴᴀ 小霜 (sapphira.franizzi): nu
Sheila Yoshikawa: yes
Shandra (killlashandra.lavendel): ^^
Fɪɴᴀ 小霜 (sapphira.franizzi): /me puts it on the reading list
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): yes we have
ThinkererSelby Evans (thinkerer.melville): the early metaverse: https://www.gettyimages.com/photos/cave-art
Sheila Yoshikawa: though as I said, it was about 14 years ago!
Shandra (killlashandra.lavendel): ㋡
Sheila Yoshikawa: thanks @Selby!
Shandra (killlashandra.lavendel): Just curious. The word metaverse isn’t new. I find it curious how people want it to be novel. Which I think was brought up earlier.
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): great images to peruse Selby, ty!
Stranger Nightfire: Snow Crash was a major part of what I was saying about the origins of the concept of metaverse
Shandra (killlashandra.lavendel): /me agrees with stranger
Bevan Whitfield: for many, indeed
Stranger Nightfire: don’t remember for sure if William Gibson was using the term
Sheila Yoshikawa: @Shandra if you can say something is new or utterly changed then it has more publicity/money value
Delia Lake: yes, cave art. from the bits and pieces we can discern, the intent was likely to create a sense of otherworldly
ThinkererSelby Evans (thinkerer.melville): The word may be new to lots of people.
Bevan Whitfield: probably so
Shandra (killlashandra.lavendel): oh dear Sheila, that makes sense, it just feels not right
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): commercial sales = branding or re-branding. Which is simply another form of “skewing words and ideas toward a desired goal/outcome”
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): spin, in other words
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): It’s a marketing ploy.
Shandra (killlashandra.lavendel): @Selby yes. Too bad Snow Crash didn’t get a move like Ready Player One lol
Shandra (killlashandra.lavendel): movie
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): does any one remember Metaphor Voom, from Texas A& Univeristy?
Sheila Yoshikawa: From an academic point of view, I imagine the exact meaning of “metaverse” IS changing as society and tech evolve, to be fair (putting my research hat on)
Shandra (killlashandra.lavendel): ㋡
Sheila Yoshikawa: Yes @Sholoh!
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): he ran a class on the first efforts to encapsulate metaverse into academia …
Shandra (killlashandra.lavendel): and no shiloh
Shandra (killlashandra.lavendel): ah
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): i am or was a friend of his.. back since 2008
Coughran Mayo: One big question I think is, who will be the social media “influencers” who will sway the arguements about what the metaverse is or isn’t. I won’t rely on the NYT or WSJ. Are some of those influencers sitting at this meeting now?
Stranger Nightfire: Snow Crash such a large and complex story might require a series to present in in movie form
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): he had an exhibit here, cutting edge… his students all wrote poetry or did art on the idea of The Metaverse
Shandra (killlashandra.lavendel): /me whisper thank you everyone must go, look forward to more on this particular topic
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): Coughran, that is a good point.
Sheila Yoshikawa: yes, me too @Shiloh
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): +1 Coughran
PI (pi.illios): I can think of bloggers Coughran
Sheila Yoshikawa: nice to see you @Shandra!
Coughran Mayo: NOt the blogger now, they just want to show off their new outfits
Bevan Whitfield: absolutely something to think about Coughran –
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): maybe we could reach out to Metaphor.. and see if he has done continued research on the topic of metaverse
Coughran Mayo: Hamlet had an article about people who gained RL skills from being in SL, that’s more on the line of what we need to be promoting.
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): +1 again Coughran
Sheila Yoshikawa: @Coughran, that was one of the ideas to emerge forum the VWEC meeting here (that I’m only belatedly writing up) – to engage with influencers (vloggers etc) as well as being influencers
Coughran Mayo: disclaimer, my contribution was “learning to surf”
Coughran Mayo: But that is what will get people’s attention
PI (pi.illios): @Coughran This type of blogger: https://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): /me nods
Coughran Mayo: Virtual education that REALLY has an impact
Stranger Nightfire: the one silver lining of Zuckerberg’s Meta is that it obviously has gotten people talking again about virtual worlds
ThinkererSelby Evans (thinkerer.melville): We are potential influencers to the extent we cause ideas and language tu be seen
Sheila Yoshikawa: Also the “wellbeing” angle that e.g. emerged from the Tom/Draxtor research on why people were in virtual worlds in the lockdown
PI (pi.illios): Inara Pey blogged today too about Philip
Sheila Yoshikawa: and also in some research Kali Pizarro did (etc etc)
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): yes, Sheila… it is excellent research
Coughran Mayo: Services for disabled and housebound people. Ability to travel to far away or fantasy places that you can’t afford to get to otherwise. Connections with communities that enrich your life.
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): yes, Tom and Drax presented well.
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): oh, share the link, PI
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): and it was understandble
Bevan Whitfield: https://modemworld.me/2022/01/13/high-fidelity-linden-lab-and-the-return-of-philip-rosedale/
Bevan Whitfield: here
Sheila Yoshikawa: @Stranger – yes let us thank Zuckeberg for getting SL into the news again lol
Coughran Mayo: Thanks, Zuck!
Sheila Yoshikawa: even if that wasn’t MZ’s intention
Bevan Whitfield: Inara is such a great reporter –
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): heck, I have science chats w people around the world because of SL
PI (pi.illios): Haha yes
Coughran Mayo: ya #uck
PI (pi.illios): O-O
PI (pi.illios): Muhaha
Sheila Yoshikawa: Hopefully with Midori Linden in place and the VW Education Consortium, there might be some route to Philip Rosedale as well – I mean more influence than formerly by educators?
PI (pi.illios): I think she can be
Bevan Whitfield: I hope so, I miss the business aspect of SL
Bevan Whitfield: In 2007, I came to look at how international businesses could use a platform such as SL – researched and met other business people here and started working with Nokia, Kent State, First Responders, European Parliament Babel Project, many others.
Bevan Whitfield: I worked with Robert Bloomfield and co-produced Metanomics.
Sheila Yoshikawa: wow
Stranger Nightfire: I have a dread of seeing all the big universities and NGOs and such go running of to join Zuckerworld
PI (pi.illios): “Certainly, that he, and other members of the High Fidelity team are joining Linden Lab strongly suggests High Fidelity’s audio capabilities could be playing a strong role in SL’s future – and it cannot be denied that a rich, immersive spatial voice audio could help SL better serve existing audiences – such as those in the educational sector – and potentially increase the platform’s appeal among potential audiences.” Inara Pey
Sheila Yoshikawa: unfortunately unis and funding agencies can be as novelty-bedazzled as anyone
PI (pi.illios): yes
ThinkererSelby Evans (thinkerer.melville): Universities don’t want association with Facebook
Sheila Yoshikawa: if it would give them money, they do @Selby I think….
Stranger Nightfire: that’s why I was saying it might be good news for those of us frustrated with SLs current audio capabilities
Bevan Whitfield: I’m going to work on some SL numbers, share them to social media – make some mini videos of just a regular day SL, etc –
Sheila Yoshikawa: great idea @Bevan and the sort of thing we could all do and share
Sheila Yoshikawa: OK
Sheila Yoshikawa: That is it for this week
Delia Lake: I like that idea, Bevan
Bevan Whitfield: Just try and share some of the wealth of creativity, possibilities for business etc
Sheila Yoshikawa: thanks for a great discussion!
Stranger Nightfire: /me happily waves goodbye to Vivox
Coughran Mayo: Yes, very good discussion. Good minds here.
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): very good discussion, Thank you for hosting this Sheila
VWER - Virtual Worlds Education Roundtable 