Gion will close at the end of November. Last visit of a beautiful sim. Thanks to the creator Sammy Bindle.
Wednesday, 5 November 2008
Gion last visit
Gion will close at the end of November. Last visit of a beautiful sim. Thanks to the creator Sammy Bindle.
Monday, 3 November 2008
University of Florida :: Second China :: hire some real people to do the training?
I checked out the Second China sim, it is what it was designed to do, an economical way of pre-training staff without having to send people over to China. As such, its really like a decor, dry, and the avatar-wearing-robots are really awful to interact with, I wish they look like themselves; a robot instead of wearing human skin and clothes. It has a dimension thats eery, as if these (Chinese) people are also rote-spulting robots only - I think the designer should put robots (if they really cant afford to pay real people to wear the avatars) - cute robots in its place - it will make the place more charming. Unless these avatars are really worn by real people, its not a good idea - it feels cheap, cheapens the training experience for the trainees!!!
Take for example, on Samurai island, I had a teahouse experience at my early days in sl, i was surprised when i was greeted by a maiko getup avatars, 2 of them! even they were only paid like 25cents an hour, students on summer job from Australia - i had a good experience, it was a human interaction. I was able to talk to them beyond the role of maiko - if all they were allowed to say were the mechanical maiko chat, how terrible would that have been? It would be exactly like a robot ! But because these greeters were real people, they behave in very subtle human ways with variations.
Trainees should be trained by real people, otherwise, you disrespect the value of the time trainees spent on the program and you also take lightly the opposite party whom you are trying to interact with. This is not kung fu training; where the va and viens is mechanical; its human interaction.
Avatar robots is a robot! Lets not pretend its human and cheapen our human relationship! Hire some real people, pay them something and the place will be more alive, with real experiences.
I think they should do like Samourai Island; hire some people.
The University could still do training - do it at specific hours, and mix it with real greeters, pay somebody. Dont skimp on this critical important part, otherwise you will be pre-training your staff to be robot like because your trainers are robots!
Right now; its a dry place; wasted time and opportunity for human enrichments, and presents a cheap image, along with poor experience to the training program itself.
Why not make things fun for everyone?
===
http://www.virtualworldsnews.com/2008/10/university-of-florida-puts-125m-grant-into-diplomacy-training-for-second-life.html
October 31, 2008
University of Florida Puts $1.25M Grant into Diplomacy Training for Second Life
University of Florida engineers have launched a project in Second Life to foreign service and other government workers for diplomatic missions to China. Second China is funded by a $1.25 million federal grant and offers generic Chinese city for visitors to explore and proceed through various activities. One, for example, simulates a visit to an office building for a conference event where the user must choose appropriate clothes and a gift, proceed through official greetings, and learn about seating patterns and rules. Another building features a tea house with history lessons for the user about politics and culture.
Oddly, though, the receptionist and other points of interaction aren't controlled by users. The researchers promote the use of bots as allowing, along with a Web-based tutorial, 24/7 access and a repeatable, measurable experience. I can understand those benefits, but it does seem to sidestep the bigger benefit of virtual worlds like Second Life for education--actual interaction. The team has spent the last year in development and will spend the next year evaluating Second China's effectiveness.
Take for example, on Samurai island, I had a teahouse experience at my early days in sl, i was surprised when i was greeted by a maiko getup avatars, 2 of them! even they were only paid like 25cents an hour, students on summer job from Australia - i had a good experience, it was a human interaction. I was able to talk to them beyond the role of maiko - if all they were allowed to say were the mechanical maiko chat, how terrible would that have been? It would be exactly like a robot ! But because these greeters were real people, they behave in very subtle human ways with variations.
Trainees should be trained by real people, otherwise, you disrespect the value of the time trainees spent on the program and you also take lightly the opposite party whom you are trying to interact with. This is not kung fu training; where the va and viens is mechanical; its human interaction.
Avatar robots is a robot! Lets not pretend its human and cheapen our human relationship! Hire some real people, pay them something and the place will be more alive, with real experiences.
I think they should do like Samourai Island; hire some people.
The University could still do training - do it at specific hours, and mix it with real greeters, pay somebody. Dont skimp on this critical important part, otherwise you will be pre-training your staff to be robot like because your trainers are robots!
Right now; its a dry place; wasted time and opportunity for human enrichments, and presents a cheap image, along with poor experience to the training program itself.
Why not make things fun for everyone?
===
http://www.virtualworldsnews.com/2008/10/university-of-florida-puts-125m-grant-into-diplomacy-training-for-second-life.html
October 31, 2008
University of Florida Puts $1.25M Grant into Diplomacy Training for Second Life
University of Florida engineers have launched a project in Second Life to foreign service and other government workers for diplomatic missions to China. Second China is funded by a $1.25 million federal grant and offers generic Chinese city for visitors to explore and proceed through various activities. One, for example, simulates a visit to an office building for a conference event where the user must choose appropriate clothes and a gift, proceed through official greetings, and learn about seating patterns and rules. Another building features a tea house with history lessons for the user about politics and culture.
Oddly, though, the receptionist and other points of interaction aren't controlled by users. The researchers promote the use of bots as allowing, along with a Web-based tutorial, 24/7 access and a repeatable, measurable experience. I can understand those benefits, but it does seem to sidestep the bigger benefit of virtual worlds like Second Life for education--actual interaction. The team has spent the last year in development and will spend the next year evaluating Second China's effectiveness.
Sunday, 2 November 2008
swannjiepostalservice.blogspot.com
Swann Jie Postal Service
http://swannjiepostalservice.blogspot.com
Deltango Vale, invites me to show my sl to rl piece - "Swannjiepostalservice". This on-going art work piece will be displayed on her land.
Check it out!
http://swannjiepostalservice.blogspot.com
Deltango Vale, invites me to show my sl to rl piece - "Swannjiepostalservice". This on-going art work piece will be displayed on her land.
Check it out!
HipiHi, bloggers on Virtual Worlds
Blogger in Chinese on Virtual World - http://slwatch.blogbus.com/logs/19098828.html
Christina Deng is the co-blogger. They report on sl and HipiHi and other virtual worlds in Chinese.
I am looking forward to see the type of information in focus.
Swannjiejie decided to go into HiPiHi to have a look too. Swannbb lets her go, and eventually Swann Jie may go too. :)
Christina Deng is the co-blogger. They report on sl and HipiHi and other virtual worlds in Chinese.
I am looking forward to see the type of information in focus.
Swannjiejie decided to go into HiPiHi to have a look too. Swannbb lets her go, and eventually Swann Jie may go too. :)
Saturday, 1 November 2008
i-marginal, Universite de Paris 7, WangXiang blog
Very interesting Eurocampus... Virtual World blog by WangXiang member of i-marginal of Paris.
Murder in Virtual World in Japan
Identity and Expression
First Avatar Arrest for Virtual World Murder? The Hack Job
10.23.08 | 1 Comment
In what might be the first arrest for the murder of an avatar, Associated Press reports that a woman in Japan killed off her virtual husband when he divorced her. The police threw her in jail for ‘hacking’ because the murder was accomplished by using her ‘ex husband’s’ log-in information to perform the act of revenge:
” “I was suddenly divorced, without a word of warning. That made me so angry,” the official quoted her as telling investigators and admitting the allegations.
The woman had not plotted any revenge in the real world, the official said.
She has not yet been formally charged, but if convicted could face a prison term of up to five years or a fine up to $5,000.”
The murder took place in the online world of Maple Story. Which proves that it IS a world, because as Prokofy Neva has famously noted, a world is a world because it contains people, a sense of place, and drama.
First Avatar Arrest for Virtual World Murder? The Hack Job
10.23.08 | 1 Comment
In what might be the first arrest for the murder of an avatar, Associated Press reports that a woman in Japan killed off her virtual husband when he divorced her. The police threw her in jail for ‘hacking’ because the murder was accomplished by using her ‘ex husband’s’ log-in information to perform the act of revenge:
” “I was suddenly divorced, without a word of warning. That made me so angry,” the official quoted her as telling investigators and admitting the allegations.
The woman had not plotted any revenge in the real world, the official said.
She has not yet been formally charged, but if convicted could face a prison term of up to five years or a fine up to $5,000.”
The murder took place in the online world of Maple Story. Which proves that it IS a world, because as Prokofy Neva has famously noted, a world is a world because it contains people, a sense of place, and drama.
The visitor, Home
The Visitor 3*
About a 60ish professor who taught for 20 years the same syllabus, pretends to write a book, and presents a paper written by a colleague upon demand - he didnt really want to do it, but the system requires him to do it. His wife an accomplished pianist already passed away, and he tries to liven up his life by learning the piano. But no talent, he dismissed 4 teachers one after another.
On his way to NY apartment, he found two people living in his place by some trickery - but the two young people are upright, so he invites them to stay. The young woman being cautious about the motif of the prof.
Finally friendship develops he starts to play the african drum - an instrument that you dont think - aboveall you must not think to play well. He starts to have a new budding friendship, life, life is budding in him. But, the young man by some turn of events was expulsed to Syria. His mother comes to visit, an upright woman of an age suitable for him, he feels something stirring, a soft warm hope of some small beginning. But as the young man gets explused his mother also decides to go back to Syria to accompany him, and never to return. (Illegal immigrants can never return)
So we see the plane takes off, and the prof goes to the subway to play furiously on a bench in the underground.
I said, how come, in his age, he has money, he has nothing more to do, career already accomplished, why doesnt he go to Syria? My friend says, you are so Hollywoodian, this is unreal, people have not begun anything. The ending is better like this. And I said, yes, I know contemporary movies are "realistic", and Hollywoodian movies are too much, but still - in his situation, what stops him from going to Syria? Even for one month; two months, it would still be happiness for everyone. Why must he stop at limiting himself by playing the drums in the subway?
At his age, it would be hard to find a suitable age woman for himself, he could find young girls, but the ideal one, the mature stylish upright one is hard to come by. Why does he not follow through, just to see? He has the means... and time to do it.
Home 3*
Isabelle Hupert plays a mother who loves her family living in a home situated next to a highway. Initially its an abandonned highway, so, calm and normal home living. But later, the highway opens, noise, etc. coming. And the behavior of the children testing the patience of the mother. Finally they put some concrete blocks and block up the whole house. The home gets messier, dirtier, people cant breath. The mother is at the end of her strength, she collapses. Sleeps like dead. Then one day she waits up, takes a hammer and slege hammer herself out of the concrete block wall, and sun comes in and fresh air. The whole family goes outside of the house and back ground music : Nina Simone sings Wild Wind Blows, the music is so soulful and free.
A very good movie, works on many levels. The Director is a young woman, she says this is a movie about Switzerland. Thats whats it like there. Seemingly clean but dirt and dust comes in everywhere, people are stuck.
I thought it could be a movie about any family, any woman; any mother feels like this sometime in their life.
By chance, my movie going buddy talked about the mother of a friend, who was a business woman, after she raised her kids, and sold her business, she doesnt know what to do , has no interest, she goes to casino - private ones - and owes tens and thousands of euros, that the son has to pay for. Its an illness - gambling. But what happens afterwards, if you dont gamble? there is nothing else. I think it is so important to have interests in life. But everyone feels stuck after a while... what else is there to do?
About a 60ish professor who taught for 20 years the same syllabus, pretends to write a book, and presents a paper written by a colleague upon demand - he didnt really want to do it, but the system requires him to do it. His wife an accomplished pianist already passed away, and he tries to liven up his life by learning the piano. But no talent, he dismissed 4 teachers one after another.
On his way to NY apartment, he found two people living in his place by some trickery - but the two young people are upright, so he invites them to stay. The young woman being cautious about the motif of the prof.
Finally friendship develops he starts to play the african drum - an instrument that you dont think - aboveall you must not think to play well. He starts to have a new budding friendship, life, life is budding in him. But, the young man by some turn of events was expulsed to Syria. His mother comes to visit, an upright woman of an age suitable for him, he feels something stirring, a soft warm hope of some small beginning. But as the young man gets explused his mother also decides to go back to Syria to accompany him, and never to return. (Illegal immigrants can never return)
So we see the plane takes off, and the prof goes to the subway to play furiously on a bench in the underground.
I said, how come, in his age, he has money, he has nothing more to do, career already accomplished, why doesnt he go to Syria? My friend says, you are so Hollywoodian, this is unreal, people have not begun anything. The ending is better like this. And I said, yes, I know contemporary movies are "realistic", and Hollywoodian movies are too much, but still - in his situation, what stops him from going to Syria? Even for one month; two months, it would still be happiness for everyone. Why must he stop at limiting himself by playing the drums in the subway?
At his age, it would be hard to find a suitable age woman for himself, he could find young girls, but the ideal one, the mature stylish upright one is hard to come by. Why does he not follow through, just to see? He has the means... and time to do it.
Home 3*
Isabelle Hupert plays a mother who loves her family living in a home situated next to a highway. Initially its an abandonned highway, so, calm and normal home living. But later, the highway opens, noise, etc. coming. And the behavior of the children testing the patience of the mother. Finally they put some concrete blocks and block up the whole house. The home gets messier, dirtier, people cant breath. The mother is at the end of her strength, she collapses. Sleeps like dead. Then one day she waits up, takes a hammer and slege hammer herself out of the concrete block wall, and sun comes in and fresh air. The whole family goes outside of the house and back ground music : Nina Simone sings Wild Wind Blows, the music is so soulful and free.
A very good movie, works on many levels. The Director is a young woman, she says this is a movie about Switzerland. Thats whats it like there. Seemingly clean but dirt and dust comes in everywhere, people are stuck.
I thought it could be a movie about any family, any woman; any mother feels like this sometime in their life.
By chance, my movie going buddy talked about the mother of a friend, who was a business woman, after she raised her kids, and sold her business, she doesnt know what to do , has no interest, she goes to casino - private ones - and owes tens and thousands of euros, that the son has to pay for. Its an illness - gambling. But what happens afterwards, if you dont gamble? there is nothing else. I think it is so important to have interests in life. But everyone feels stuck after a while... what else is there to do?
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