Twitter…Tweets…Twits
As a person with too many email addresses and a growing number of vertical market websites to manage, I, of course, decided to add another twig to my bundle of time fragmenting Internet activities. That being Twitter. (www.twitter.com/DigitalDocent) After a couple months of Tweets, I have the following observations.
1. Some of the followers of my comments, are in reality folks just fishing for me to follow them. When I take a look at their Tweets, I find that we have nothing in common. How they found me is a mystery, unless there ia a public list of new accounts that they troll for new followers. MLM’s out to gather followers are among the most agressive.
2. I have chosen a few folks to follow, and denied many others from following me. Specially those that have hundreds (if not thousands) of accounts they profess to be following.
3. How many accounts can one person follow at a time? Dozens? Possibly. Hundreds? Doubtful. Thousands? Certainly not! So why are Twits so consumed by the numbers game? Getting a large number of followers may be the end game for most Twitterers, but that creates this artificial promise, that “if you follow me, then I’ll follow you.” Impossible to scale, and of improbable value to both sides of the equation.
4. I have read and shed more than a hundred “followed” Twits. I try to read every Tweet of those I do follow, evaluate the time-versus-value of the relationship, and then dismiss those that are just a waste of time.
5. So why do I Tweet? Not really sure, although it’s a great exercise in limiting my AD mind to one succinctly expressed topic at a time. It’s sort of like doing crossword puzzles. A challenge when successfully completed, giving me a small sense of accomplishment at the end of a frustrating day dueling with technology. It’salso similar to my muttering when I’m working alone. No one is listening, and if overheard, I’m not embarassed by what I say.
6. So why do I read Tweets? I suppose its a bit like looking for a shiny penny in a pocket full of change. You never know what to expect each time you dip in. Once a day I look look through Tweets from those I follow, and always find something of interest. Often a link to an URL, and instead of a few minutes reading through Tweets, I’m off on a one hour Internet journey pursuing new ideas stimulated by a 140+ character Tweet!
When I’m on Twitter, I also enjoy watching birds drink at my solar powered fountain, and flying around the bird feeders. Now those are sweet Tweets!
10 Improvements to Save Second Life
After an extended conversation with my avatar (Docent Altura), we came up with the following ten improvments that are needed for Second Life’s long term viability. (Not in order of importance)
Out of the box!
10 ways to improve SL
1. Lower the hardware standards for users: Don’t orphan laptop user with client upgrades. Mavy folks have purchased laptops as their primary computer. Consistently, I have been involved in presentations that while technically work on a laptop, functionally are unacceptable. (5 seconds per frame!) In many cases, newer laptops while working initially, now fail to run SL at all. For example, my HP Pavilion laptop PC with nvidia grahics display, worked for 6 months and now fails to run SL at all! Another $1,300 down the drain! Linden service department simple responded that SL doesn’t support my PC. But it did! Multiply the problem by our campus use of laptops, means that our student user experience in SL has been unacceptable.
2. Role/experience based menu options. Current menus are way too complex for first time users. Set multiple level configurations from first time user to advance builder, selectable from the boot screen. First time users would see only basic commands and not be overwhelmed by nested menus, complex configuration screens, and undefined options. Permit users to turn on menu items as needed. Provide hover help screens for all menu items with a link to an extended contextual help screen for each option.
3. Improve media playback of other more bandwidth friendly options…Flash based movies? Docent Alturas has spent a lot of Lindens (and time) trying to find a responsive, low latency, video option. A drag-and-drop load of video URL’s into screens would be a nice feature. I’m not sure if it’s a lack of scripting options, poor sim server bandwidth, or operator error. No one I have met in SL likes the current “solutions.”
4. Make media playback object based rather than land based. Mediate by object rather than parcel. As some of you may know, the parcel of land you are standing on (or hovering over) can only support one media texture or source at a time. Since much building is done above ground level, the parcel itself sets the playback options above it. Build a tall building with multiple users, the you will have to subdivide the ground parcel into small rectangles and then assign them like vertical shafts for anyone building above. I know it would be a hassle, but a really good programmer should be able to develop an object based media option. Build a multimedia screen and stacked vertically, click on one, set the media source, and continue vertically to do the same with each object.
5. Improve base avatar animation. Kill the builder “arm in the air” syndrome. I have seen some terrific avatar animation (no not what you are probably thinking!) that leverages mocap technology to smoothly animate avatars. Noobs need some help looking better when they move around And what’s with the “arm in the air” building indicator? That has become a standing joke. >http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flkgNn50k14
6. Support import of 3D objects created by such tools like Sketchup. OK, I know about the prim/polygon problem with this request. However, unless I’m missing something, it’s still not possible to easily import externally created 3D objects without an advanced IS/DXF/AutoCad degree!
7. Improve inventory handling by incorporating features from the Second Inventory program. Again, I’m familiar with DRM for objects not owned by my avatar, but it would be very helpful if my objects could be stored on a local hard drive. Let me sort, cull, organize my inventory using standard Windows or Mac file managment features. Thumbnails of all objects, texture, photos would be great! Even if the actual object is encrypted on my hard drive, and then un-encrypted when I sync back with SL. I spend more time sifting through my avatar’s inventory than I do actually bulding.
8. Pump up capacity of some island servers to reduce lag for larger events. Crowds of 100′s rather than the paltry 50-70 per sim. Get over 50 in the same area and avatars appear “nude” until they REZ, or as white clouds waiting for their body parts. Two classes of 30 students on the same sim at the same time… forget it! Specially if you want them to explore an area together. Moving about takes on the appearance of a bunch of bumbling avatars. See YouTube example above. Without more capacity and reduced lag, Second Life will remain a “Bowling Alone” scenario
9. Permit avatars to tag objects avatars and islands with a personal rating. The content would become invisible to the avatar if objectionable. I know this is a tough one, but I have some neighbors who have created real eyesores on their property. I would like to tag them to be invisible to my avatar to improve the view. Ad farms would simply disappear for those of us who choose to lose.
10. Pump out more PR about how great SL is for educators and nonprofits. (Including those areas managed by Techn Soup International) We are thriving in spite of the bad press! Real world folks I talk with have internalized their perception of SL being a pornographic paradise, and are afraid to join Second Life. Let users select a “G” rating island where only objects and builds with that rating would be visible. PG and Mature sims could be avoided by filtering searches, and resulting teleport access.
Happy to receive corrections, suggestions and links to resources and solution.
Google’s Lively…Now Less Lively!
Some of you may have tried out Google’s Lively 3D worlds platform. If not, you may still experience Lively, but only until December 31, 2008. Google announced last 
week that they will be shutting down Lively at the end of this month. A quote from Google’s Lively crew at> http://www.lively.com/html/shutdown.html, follows.
From Google: “Lively no more
After careful consideration, we have decided to shut down Lively.
Since Lively’s launch, we have been delighted to see the creative ways you’ve used the product. We enjoyed hanging out in Jen’s coffee house, and checking out the Brasil Party room. We got a kick out of the YouTube videos in a variety of languages telling stories about your avatars. And we’ve been awed by the elaborate rooms that you’ve constructed, using mosaic tiles and photo gadgets in novel ways.
We will shut down Lively on December 31, 2008. Embedded rooms in blogs and other web pages will continue to show an image, but users will no longer be able to enter Lively rooms and interact.
Between now and the end of the year we encourage you to capture all your hard work by taking videos and screenshots of your rooms. Thank you for sharing this experience with us. We’ve learned a lot about how users interact in rich social environments, and we hope you’ve enjoyed your time with Lively.
For more information, please read our blog post.”
Does this indicate a small pinprick in the 3D worlds bubble of support from large corporations?
Couple of Lively images follow>
Cafe Room SampleSpace RoomTears for Lively
Thanksgiving 2.3D Leftovers
Thought I would use this post to clean up some previous comments.
Twinity Blue Screen of Death Put to Death!: Had it the first time I ran the program, but uninstalled the it and re-installed a newer version. It works fine now. More than likely a problem with my laptop’s graphics display. Had a similar problem with earlier versions of Second Life when that program crashed the same laptop back to a CGA display! Along with an unpredictable blue screen of death now and then.
The computer is a Dell Laptop, Inspiron e1705, iNTEL T2300 @1.66 ghZ, 2 gigs of RAM, running Windows XP Media Center Edition, Service Pack 3, Mobile Intel 945 GM Express display adapter.
Among the items that caught my attention was that Twinity has mirrors! And the mirrors reflect mirrors? I think I finally caught my avatar primping! I explored the newbie landing site, read through the hints, and explored the building. I’m not yet comfortable with the user interface. Probably too much time in other worlds with different controls options. But, I’ll keep at it and will photos the next time I blog about Twinity.
OSGRID: I created an OpenSim account on the OSGRID. The grid uses the SL or HIPPO client under the opensim software. OSGRIC calles it the Open Source Metaverse. You can create your own simulator that may be connectd to the OSGRID. This is a graphically rich environment. There are about 1,100 regions, but less than 8,000 total users.
Home page at> http://osgrid.org/index.php?page=home&btn=1
Account creation details here> http://osgrid.org/index.php?&page=smodul&id=7&btn=7
OSGRID build photos follow.
Blade Tower at Bade Plaza
Saius Plaza Pool with Sculptures
This metaverse is compatible with Second Life, and SL objects may be imported using a new software tool called Second Inventory. However, textures do not transfer with the object. I plan to have a full region up and running by the end of December. Either installed on one of my computers or hosted in an open region within the OSGRID. BTW…the OSGRID folks are non-profit and exist through donations.
The Rings: I mentioned this Second Life experience in one of my previous posts. A Second Life friend (Buffy Beale) who is a SkyDancer for another artistic group invited me to a recent performance of the Rings. I was amazed! Totally immersive with spatial sound, original sound track, elaborate costuming and staging. A stunning performance! One of the new features introduced for The Rings was an option to assign my avatar to an automatic camera that automatically presented fields of view to enhance my experience. It was similar to a video director calling the shots, although this time it’s through the eyes of my avatar. The following quote is edited from a notecard vendor at the site of the the performance. Rings was produced by the CARP team.
“The CARP team is a group of international artists, engineers, programmers, scriptwriters, architects, musicians, audio and media specialists etc. They work in collaboration, using their skills to develop and create NEW ART, NEW TECHNOLOGY and more in Second Life. With THE WALL (a previous performance) we got a total audience of 2,500 people watching it. With this new big show there are more developments and we hope to have a big audience again.
The newest development is our preprogrammed camera system. …What is that? ……It is a camera system that was created so you can watch the show with new views of cameras installed in the show.
Sit on a seat, click 2 x esc. The camera takes over …NOW SIT BACK AND ENJOY!
We are sure you never saw this before in SL:))”
The program card from Rings
I hope to have photos for the next post.
3D Enabled GUI’s for browsing
Borrowed and extended from my LinkedIn Immersive Environments Discussion Group entry:
As I prepare to present a Web2.3D workshop in Minneapolis later this month, I have been exploring new browser enabled 3D GUI’s.
A Java based program, 3dxplorer looks promising. Link at> http://www.3dxplorer.com/
Quote from their website:
“Affordable 3D Websites
You think building a custom virtual world is expensive and time consuming ? Not with 3DXPlorer. Get your customized world , embedded inside your website, starting at $4,900 all inclusive.”
(emphasis mine)
I visited a couple of worlds that use the 3dxplorer environment, then fired up Second Life. SL continues to be my overall design and interface leader. I have several other immersive accounts that I continue to monitor. THERE (www.there.com/) and Qwaq (www.qwaq.com/) are still worth visiting. The Qwaq platform is inherently more scalable (support more avatars without lag) then a Second Life SIM, but the creative tool set lacks the features and polished GUI found in SL. (SL topped 70,000 simultaneous users online today)
Linday McKeown, a LinkedIn connection sent me the following links related to this blogs’s title..
(Linday is an E-learning consultant and researcher; Second Life Project Developer)
http://www.exitreality.com/ (View existing web pages in 3D)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0ODskdEPnQ (3D desktop video on YouTube)
http://www.twinity.com/en (Virtual world mirroring real world)
Exit Reality: I installed and joined this beta and was impressed by the GUI and ease of installation. Ran a few URL’s through their system and explored them in 3D mode. Some worked, some looked fractured, but all showed the potential of ExitRealtiy. I plan to spend some time building out a 3D space linked to one of my domains. I liked the responsiveness, but missed some of the SL tools and controls. Maybe because I have spent too much time in SL over the past couple of years. : )
The second resource noted above, the YouTube video of a 3D desktop, I had seen before. I liked it then and even more now. My RW desk is sort of a layer cake of information harvested from a variety of printed sources. It’s mirrored by my computer desktop. Being able to move piles of info around on a 3D desktop fits my organizational style. Since this demo has been around for a year or two, I wondered if it is now commercially available.
Twinity was a huge download. About 150megs! Compressed. I unzipped it and had my computer crash to a blue screen the first time I ran it. Uninstalled it, and will try again later. The website about Twinity highlights what looks like an impressive new competitor for Second Life.
Another interesting space is created by the 3B 3D environment? http://3b.net/browser/newhome.html
It uses your chosen URL to automatically develop a 3D space based on your website structure. Although the web pages are arranged on panels in a walled environment it is an interesting GUI with some features not available yet in the ExitReality software. The auto-taxi to your selected web page, group tours and other tricked out tools were fun and functional. Downside for me was a very slow load of the client to reach my home 3D space.
Next up…the RING in Second Life…watch this space.
IBM Explores Immersive Environments
Recently I received a note about IBM’s use of 3D space for collaboration. (Web2.3D)
From Gale Beckworth via Tech Soup Google Group> “IBM Sametime 3-D is a mashup of IBM’s Lotus Sametime instant messaging and collaboration application with virtual worlds, such as OpenSim. No word on whether or not it will work with Second Life, but IBM will look to take Sametime 3-D out of application development and make it an enterprise application within the Lotus unified communications and collaborations suite.”
Two related links>
IBM Sametime 3D article in eweek magazine
Beyond Web 2.0
Going beyond Web2.0, Web2.3D is how I refer to emerging 3D social networks and such environments as Second Life, Qwaq, There, and a dozen others. Gartner Inc. has predicted that more than 80% of all Internet browsing will be in a 3D environment by the end of 2011. Do you agree?
How Time Flies!
While this blog was originally targeting emerging technologies, regular posts will take a closer look at the technologies we have left behind, along with continually emerging new ones.
It’s amazing how life speeds up the older one gets! Last weekend I visited the Pavek Broadcasting Museum in Minneapolis (http://www.pavekmuseum.org/) and saw my 40 years in media (broadcasting) float before my eyes. Every significant piece of equipment I worked with during my career was represented there.
It was amazing to see how far we have come from the early days of B&W television with cameras that required two strong men (or very strong women) to mount on heavy tripods to today’s smart phones that can record color movies (with sound), have built in video editing tools, and support uploading the edited video to YouTube. I remember semi-sized remote trucks costing more than a million dollars that couldn’t duplicate the video quality of a high-def video camera of today that costs less than a thousand dollars!
The Pavek Museum takes visitors from the invention of sound recording devices through a wonderland of well maintained broadcasting technologies that still work. A tape recorder from the 1940′s still played a recording on the original tape through speakers large enough to live in, recreating music that was stunning. A wire recorder with the original wire recording medium and a wire recorder cartridge that pre-echoed an 8 track cartridge format still worked. How about the CED (Capacitance Electronic Disc) format? Last manufactured around 1985, it used a grooved record and a stylus to play back movies with stereo sound. I have more than 600 movie CED titles. Hmmmm….maybe I should start my own museum. On second thought, I guess I already have one in my basement!
The evolution of radio is also on display with very early models still functional. Tuning through today’s stations on one of the older units brought back my memory of listening to live radio dramas during the early 1950′s, an illusion shattered by the shrieking sounds of today’s radio spots, through speakers that were more than a 75 years old.
What is the earliest technology you remember using? Which technology had the biggest impact on your early life? What is the oldest technology you still use, or at least is still functional if you wanted to use it? Which piece of technology do you still wish you owned, even as a paperweight? Comments appreciated
Pavek Museum location and hours follow.
Pavek Museum of Broadcasting
3515 Raleigh Avenue. St. Louis Park, Minnesota 55416 Phone 952/926-8198 Fax 952/929-6105 |
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HOURS Tuesday – Friday 10am-6pm Saturday 9am-5pm Closed Sunday, Monday and holidays |
ADMISSION Children $5 Seniors $5 Adults $6 |
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The Original Digital Docent Is Back
It’s good to find a blog service that has staying power! WordPress seems like a winner. My previous blogs were deleted after their hosting services died.
Please select the page titled (Digital Docent Explores Second Life and Other Thoughts) for the reasons I’m again immersed in blogging.
