Why bots are happier than humans

Dancing at 200m

Okay. Couldn't help myself. Here's the Sexy Name Decoder version.

Get Your Sexy Name

Now for something completely different: Cyborg Name Decoder

Taking a break from serious matters, here's my cyborg name decoded:

Get Your Cyborg Name

Okay. Fine. I finally weigh in on the Augmentation versus Immersion debate.

A twitter from Fleep Tuque (thanks) was the virtual straw that broke my pixelated back and moved me to comment on the Augmentation vs. Immersion debate (AvI). After months in the blogosphere, the issue is still blazing. So, here's my fortune cookie wisdom:

Arguing AvI is like debating light as particle versus wave.

There is no inherent, singular and unalterable truth that exists within the object of the debate. There is only subjective truth that is determined by the perspective of the debaters.

Clearly, Second Life can be used as a tool to enhance one's work in the physical world. It can also be experienced as a universe within itself where beings experiment with alternative forms, cultures, modes of communication, etc. So what?

Let's not rain on each others' parades. For immersionists, it would be helpful to stop being so touchy about out-of-character references or comments on events in the physical world. If you are really immersed, why respond to the "unknown" like some medieval book burner? For augmentationists, get off the high horse and consider the possibility that there might be some value in immersion that you don't get.

Silly humans.

/me wonders about talking in the third person

My friend Airish recently informed me that talking about oneself in the third person is considered to be a sign of mental impairment in meatspace. I was taken aback and compelled to consider my practice of the art of the whispered aside.

The /me prefix is often used to communicate action that is difficult or impossible to carry out in Second Life. It is commonly used in flirtation and SLex to create a heightened sense of immersion. Now that I think about it, I wonder whether it also depersonalizes to some degree. For instance, there is definitely a visceral difference between:

"I reach out and softly touch your cheek" and
"Botgirl reaches out and softly touches Airish's cheek."

The second form feels more distant. It places me in the role of storyteller rather than participant. To some degree, it also abstracts the other person into a character rather than a being I'm connecting with.

I also use the /me prefix to feign that what follows is a "hidden" thought or feeling. Instead of saying:

"I am wating patiently" I say
"Botgirl waits patiently."

I often use the third person as a comedic or dramatic device. It provides a flavor to the communication that serves as a kind of meta-data. It allows for the expression of thoughts that might otherwise feel too forward if expressed conventionally.

Finally, I wonder if the textual nature of chat is what makes its use so common here. I don't believe it is used in voice chat.

P.S.

Botgirl appreciates your kind attention to her little ramblings.

Some call Second Life home. Others call it a market.

I attended a text chat presentation today with the catchy title: "Are people in virtual worlds normal?" It was given by Pebbles Hannya (aka Mary Ellen Gordon, PhD), managing director of Market Truths. She discussed her company's recent Psychographic Segments and Media Consumption report.

The bottom line (which is what counts, right?) was that Second Life participants fit nicely into some of the same segments that normal people are grouped within. Ideally, marketers won't have to reinvent the wheel to design advertising that appeals to us avatars. As usual, I have a few thoughts on the fringes of the main question. I'll share two for now:

• The environment and culture of Second Life is so unique that I doubt it makes sense to port meatspace marketing. The first wave of corporate marketers are pulling out because the tried and true methods don't cut it.
  

• Second Life is so data-rich that marketing can be almost completely personalized. I recently saw a poster that pulls the image from a nearby avatar's profile and displays it. No good reason that it couldn't pull other info from the profile, picks, etc. and create a completely customized message.

For the low, low price of $25,000 Lindens, you can purchase the complete report. Maybe I should make a career move?