The Australian Women’s Weekly covers SL
June 30, 2007
The Australian Women’s Weekly have run an article titled ‘Internet Communities Explained’ and SL gets a guernsey. RMIT’s Dr Lisa Dethridge is quoted extensively in relation to SL and one quote caught my attention in particular:
“avatars tend to keep the fantasy alive by refraining from chat about ‘RL’ [real life] and referring to this world as if it were the only world. Unlike regular chat rooms, where people discuss the details of their lives online, Second Life is a kind of hermetically sealed zone with laws unto itself”
The intention of the statement is clear but it also clashes with my interactions with aussies in SL, particularly the newer users. It’s rare to not hear people asking each other where they’re from in RL. The wariness around disclosing extensive personal information definitely remains but it seems the boundaries between RL and SL aren’t as defined as they used to be. Do you find the same?
It’ll also be interesting to see the level of Australian sign-ups when Meta Linden releases the June stats - between 60 Minutes and the Australian Women’s Weekly, it’s been a mainstream media feast this month courtesy of PBL - perhaps a SL presence is looming including a virtual Crown Casino?
Popularity: 6% [?]
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Second Fest
June 30, 2007
Second Fest is on this weekend and it’s very Australia-friendly with Day 2 kicking off around 9pm AEST (4am SL time). The rumours about an avatar appearance of the Pet Shop Boys are probably nothing more than that, but hey those guys were avatars fifteen years before SL so it’s an obvious fit.
The Intel sims are spacious to say the least with multiple viewing locations:
Popularity: 5% [?]
Location guide for new users
June 29, 2007
Tateru Nino from SL Insider has formulated a brilliant list of locations for new SL users to visit.
It’s well worth spending some time checking out the locations mentioned.
Popularity: 6% [?]
Joys and Sorrows of Voice in Second Life
June 28, 2007
On the SLOz forums, Aussie SL’er Juko Tempel asked for a discussion on voice in SL. So we’ve made her moderator of the Voice in SL forum.
Drop in and join the debate on voice-enabled SL and its joys and sorrows for you.
Popularity: 5% [?]
Gamer Revolution on ABC TV
June 27, 2007
Tomorrow evening on ABC TV, the first of a two-part series called Gamer Revolution will screen. It’s a wide-ranging look at gaming but from the snippets I’ve seen I believe Second Life receives an examination.
Popularity: 5% [?]
The PIER opens
June 27, 2007
Owned by Sydney-based Carys Dahlstrom (and virtual dog Wullie!), the PIER is becoming one of the more popular social venues. Although its been around quite a while (I remember spending some time there months ago), it’s had a facelift and a move to a new sim. The (re)opening was held last weekend:
In Carys Dahlstrom’s own words: “I guess I just want a ’safe’ place for people to hang out. I had this place before on another sim and had to move it as the sim couldn’t cope with the traffic. Somewhere to go without the ‘gambling and sex’ pressure. Good music, good fun and good people”.
Idlers also get to walk the plank and buy the t-shirt afterwards.
Thanks to Simon Kline for the opening pics!
Popularity: 11% [?]
Australia Council offers matchmaker service for SL artists
June 27, 2007
Today we received a follow up comment from the folks at the Australia Council:
“Need artists to collaborate with for the Second Life Grant opportunity?
Australia Council for the Arts has set up an artist’s forum in Second Life for artists looking for other artists to collaborate with for its Second Life grant.
The “matchmaker” blog can be found at http://www.lamp.edu.au/ozcoabcslart/. Alternatively you can access it through Second Life via the Australia Council Billboards on ABC Island and the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS) Island, Esperance.
For more information on the grant visit www.ozco.gov.au/rez“
Popularity: 4% [?]
