A Google Search Story I Created... Google Asked for it...

5 Ways to Capitalize on James Cameron's "Avatar" in Virtual Worlds

Ever since James Cameron's "Avatar" hit the theaters, metaverse users have been finding ways to incorporate his movie into virtual worlds.  As I mentioned yesterday, many are jumping on the boat and turning blue to ride the "Avatar" coat-tails.  It seems that all you need to do is turn whatever you were selling into the color blue, and you've got yourself a Genuine Authentic Official Pandora-Na'Vi-Avatar thingamabob.

Massively wrote a great follow-up on this hoopla called "The Sea Monkey experience of Avatars"

"Virtual environments can be beautiful, can exhibit grace, and can be immersive and fascinating and useful in all sorts of different ways ... but if you've got the 'Avatar blues', it's like buying Sea Monkeys and getting Artemia salina × nyos.

We don't expect actual user-retention in any virtual environment to rise significantly in the wake of this. We expect that the number of retained Pandora-piners will be about the same percentage as retention for pretty much any other general demographic. Sea Monkeys can be pretty awesome, make no mistake. They just might not be what you really want.

In the meantime, there's a lot of designers across several virtual environments who are making a lot of money copying skins, designs and settings from the film."

Here is my list of 5 ways you can try to make a buttload of cash by riding the blue glowing wave of "Avatar" and it's popularity.

1) Turn the crap you were selling into the color blue (and make it glow!).

That's right... any content you were selling before can now be official Na'vi "Avatar" content by changing it to the color blue, making it glow, and by changing the title of the object.   Look, I did it here:

What was once a wood box called "Object" is now

an Official "Avatar" glowing blue prim called:

"Pandora's Box" ... on sale now....

(If you would like the x-rated version, 

these Na'vi prims are also for sale at Zindra, 

coincidentally also named "Pandora's Box")

2) Change the avatar skins you were selling to the color blue.

If you were a skin designer or avatar designer, all you have to do is add blue versions to your product line... and of course, call those skins "Na'vi"

Hot "Avatar" tail.... mmm...

In case the designers out there are wondering, the code for Na'vi skin is

H: 203  |  S: 63  |  B: 69  |  R: 66  |  G:  134  |  B:  177

3) Create a Na'vi role-player group. Then create a role-player test in order to gain exclusive entry.

Similar to the Bloodlines business model:  Create a role-player group, something like Na'vi of Second Life or Pandora Roleplay. Then, in order for avatars to become official members of the Na'vi role-player clan, they will have to shop and purchase the Na'vi avatars, and Pandora pixels in order to gain exclusive access into the group.

"I just need to buy 10 more spirits from the Sacred Tree of Souls, 

then I know they'll let me in."

4) Redesign the spaceship you were selling to look like the mercenary helicopters from the movie.

Remember that rocket ship or helicopter you once made?  Well strap on two large ceiling fans to the side, and now you have a human mercenary ship from the movie ready to be sold.

 

5) Advertise on your website (and make sure the ad has a picture of a blue avatar in it).

Finally, of course.... keep plugging! Advertise the blue.  Ride the blue wave.  Anything that is blue and says "avatar" on it is a gold mine in clicks

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Although this blog post is meant to be tongue-and-cheek, I am also trying to point out that the creativity and imagination within a virtual world, and within people's minds, can be limitless. The new "Avatar" designs appearing in Second Life are quite detailed and expertly crafted. For example, "Pandora - Na'vi ' Planet Avatar" on the Pegase sim did a great job.

However, Second Life is practically limitless.  Second Life has been around for 6 years!!  Anything can be created, and usually, anything and everything IS created....  but, don't sell yourself short by jumping on the "Avatar" Na'vi bandwagon.  "Avatar" is James Cameron's brain-child.  Why copy it?  Why not create a world of your own using Second Life (or Open Sim, or any virtual world platform) to explore your own creative, artistic, and imaginative ideas?  Sure, the movie "Avatar" is hot right now, but it's only one of many options.  Use your own brain power to create, and not to copy and sell.

I Got a Phone! ... and only to stay behind the times with the rest of the world.

Finally, after 4 years of avoiding a cell phone, I finally got one.  I now have one.  All that mobile tech talk I've been hearing all 2009.... well, I have a cell phone now, and I want to throw it into a wall.  Literally, I am more tempted to fastball pitch this Nokia dumbphone directly into a brick wall than using it and it's features.

The Problem With Internet (and Virtual World) Girlfriends

The Problem With Internet (and Virtual World) Girlfriends
(Click the image to enlarge)

[VIA Kontraband]

Prokofy Neva and the FIC 2.6 List (July 2009 - Oct 2009)

Prokofy Neva every so often creates a list known as the FIC.  Feted Inner Core?  I forget.  Anyway, what once was a list (1.0) of people Prokofy believed were in cahoots with the Lindens, it slowly developed into a list of people that personally crossed her and people she hated. 2.5 was a good list of characters.  Now, it has now developed into a list of.... well... I don't even know how to describe it.  Prokofy Neva is better at describing this than I am.

It's strange.  The FIC is a combo of people doing amazing things in SL, mixed with people doing horrible things in SL.     2.6 appears to be a list of who Prokofy views as "the cool kids" of SL. 

Personally, I am very touched and honored to have made it on
Prokofy Neva's FIC 2.6

Sincerely
Doubledown Tandino

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I wanted to give a sampling of Prokofy's wikipedia entry of what the FIC meant.  I believe the wikipedia denied the entry, but here's some of the text:

The Feted Inner Core (also known as the Fetid Inner Core) is a conspiracy theory that exists among certain players of the computer game Second Life. It argues that certain groups of players use their relationship with the staff of Linden Lab, the game providers, to obtain favours that advantage their in-game businesses at the disadvantage of others. Since businesses within Second Life can be run for real-world money - the game's currency, Linden dollars, has a maintained exchange rate with the US dollar - this is considered a significant danger.

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Footnote:  Because I am a member of this so-called FIC, and Prokofy believes I hold the values of this FIC thingy, this blog entry was created for the sole purpose of Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Stinky Footnote: Prokofy, keep doing what you're doing.  We need someone like you in the world, whether we realize it or not.

Toejam Footnote:  Prokofy, don't send me a takedown notice or anything like that.  The disclaimer is that everything and anything in this one FIC related blog post was designed, created, masterminded, fondled, and crafted by Prokofy Neva.  She owns the rights to her blog, and anything I copy and pasted from her blog.

Pinky Toe Note: Prokofy Neva is on the FIC list, although somehow, her name never appears on the list.... I think it's the inner workings of the inner core of the feted inner core?

Toenail polish note:  I was really trying to make this blog entry as long as Prokofy's blog entries,  but there's no chance in hell I'm even coming close.  I have no idea how she musters the strength to write so much out each blog post.   I'm winded already.

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Dale Innis Explains: http://daleinnis.wordpress.com/2009/07/08/the-enemy-within/
Convo at Plurk: http://www.plurk.com/p/2bbdpm

Doubledown's Terminology : Social Networlds

There has been a lot of talk lately about what to call "Virtual Worlds" or a "metaverse"  (right off the bat, ironically, the wikipedia entry for "Virtual World" says "computer-based simulated environment"  meanwhile metaverse on wikipedia says "The Metaverse is a fictional virtual world, described by Neal Stephenson)"

It was brought up last week at Metanomics Community Forum - The terms that floated around were "Virtual Environments" , or "Immersive Media" ... which led to "Virtual Synthetic Immerse Environments..."

It was brought up last Sunday at Metaverse Week in Review where Mal Burns has decided to change calling  "Virtual Worlds" into calling them "V-Worlds"

Facebook even has a category under 'interests' called "Virtual Social Media"  (which I'm quite impressed with so kudos to Facebook).

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When I think of labeling a technology, I tend to think about how music genres became labeled.  My example in it's simplest form "Rock-n-Roll".... what the hell does that even mean?  Literally, it means stones and the outer breaded layer of a sandwich.  As future moved onward, rock-n-roll dropped the buns, and became "rock"  soon after that sub-genres emerged (alternative, metal, punk, etc).    Lets say there's a band that categorizes themselves as "rap metal emocore electrofunk", the music stores will sell their CDs in the "rock/pop" section.  Why? because people get what that means without having to use wikipedia... even if the term doesn't even fit.

Electronic music genres are the same.  For example, there's a genre called "IDM" (Aphex Twin falls into this genre).  What is IDM you ask?   Well it stands for Intelligent Dance Music.  If you've ever listened to Intelligent Dance Music, the first thing you think is 'there's no way in hell anyone can dance to this'.  So Aphex Twin coined the term "Brain music".   Sounds more fitting in my opinion... however, Aphex Twin to this day is the only one that uses the term... to everyone else, it's still IDM.

Basically every term in history came to fruition through a chain of small conversations and events which led to the terminology just STICKING.  ... And that becomes the label... whether it fits or not.     There's never been a strong enough campaign to change a label society decides to stick with out of convenience.


Well here's what I've decided, take it or leave it:   I....  I am going with this one:    
"Social Networlds"  ... (Virtual Worlds + Social Networks is a nice simple play on words, and that is all we really need.)

Either way (and point being), the terms Virtual World and Metaverse are here to stay (with "immersive environment" as a runner up).  Those terms already stuck, and there's not going to be a way to change it.   But hey, call an inworld social universe whatever you wish... no one will understand what you're talking about until you describe what you mean anyway.  The description and definition that comes along with the label is what matters most.

-Doubledown Tandino

NEW FTC RULES: http://bit.ly/1B3xI6
Full Disclosure   :  I wrote this blog post in my underwear and my underwear is made by Hanes.

Is there a current Music Crowd Recession in Second Life?

Second Life is hopping! Anyone that is inworld knows this. Major news outlets are talking about the vibrancy within Second Life. When each of us logs on, we see there's an average of 60,000-80,000 people logged in at once.

While participating in a SL forum I frequent, the conversation came up about performers and venues not being able to pull a large crowd as well as what is expected (especially with MORE people logging into SL these days). Over the past month, many performers noticed and are noticing a dramatic drop-off in the crowd numbers. Musicians and DJs that were easily pulling in 30, 40, 50+ people to their shows, are seeing 5, 8, 10 people show up now.

The question is, why? Many of us are baffled. Could it be that people are just 'evented out'? Is the SL music crowd tired out with the SL music scene? Have they been to enough music shows in SL and are now doing other projects that keep them busy? Is it that Second Life just hasn't been working like it should, and when people can actually get in to SL, they have to complete the work they couldn't when SL was borked, preventing free time? Maybe it's that crowd members may have the notion that they must tip the performer and venue if they want to attend a show?

As we are all trying to put our finger on it, here are my thoughts.
(I decided to copy and paste my thoughts directly from the thread)

---
Doubledown Tandino post #1:
Since about mid-March, there has really been a dry spell [regarding the event attendance numbers]. And frankly , it's kind of annoying.

Since the same amount of people are generally logged in at the same time (between 40,000 and 80,000) that means they are inworld, and doing something else, and not attending music events.

The shows I did recently (the past two-three weeks) have been widely-varied events; including the Music Awareness 2009, an art/music show at Twilight's Peace, a few club DJ shows, a networking/marketing show with metaLIFE, a show (The Rendezvous at Muse Isle) where not only do I perform for 2 hours live, we also give away a $3800L animation equipment at every event. ... still nothing has been more of a crowd draw than the next.

The question I have been asking myself in the past weeks is:
Why has there been a dropoff in live music attendance??
And the answer I keep coming back to is: over inundated, unoriginal, same stuff day after day after day is not going to draw MORE of a fanbase.

I look at this situation from both sides. As a music lover in SL, I've been checking out SL music shows for 3 years. I am now down to hanging out at about 1 show a day, and maybe 2-4 popins.... I simply have no time or desire to see more shows, even if it's a performer I like (cause i've seen em plenty already). I am assuming many others, the ones that would normally be in the crowd, feel the same way.

As a performer I'm on stage thinking "where is everybody"
... and I reply to myself "they're not here, that much is true"

So what does all this mean?!?!?! nothing really. I guess SL is going through a phase where many people are burnt out on events? Hopefully it'll correct itsself.

In the meantime, I've always had the idea of an unofficial supporters union. A group of us that are willing to extend the support. The best way to get more people at a show is to have the people at the show spread the word and offer teleports over. My ONLY crowded shows these days are when my staff and crowd goes the extra mile for me.

I'm of the opinion that if we have a crew of devotees that want to pop-in for eachother, and help eachother get the word out, it'll make a major impact getting more people to shows, and faster.

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Doubledown Tandino post #2:
There is a big illusion going on here.... The best performers in SL are not getting the biggest crowds anymore. It's the musicians that have a strong support team that get the crowd to turn up. The musicians that can focus on their music and show, while they have staff to cover promotions, tps, word spreading, more promotion.... those are the performers that seem to have the biggest crowds. When the promotion team + the venue + the performer + the crowd all work together, that's when a packed sim happens.

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Doubledown Tandino post #3:
(in a response to another performer that has found group notices and IMs to be ineffective.)
Sending out group notices and IMs may not have a direct effect ....but the spam has a long lasting residual effect.

Having your name sent out to people is a good thing and if you spam (within the confines of the loose SL spam etiquette), it can never be something that hurts; only something that helps in the long run.

The question remains though: For the amount of time spent promoting in SL, is the result worth the effort? Currently, it seems like it's not worth the effort, but being a marketing & promotion professional, I still refer to old cliches about advertising. (A perfect example is Coca-cola. I've had a coke less than 10 times in my life. I think it is vile and disgusting. Yet, as a human, living on Earth, I know Coke. I know the name, the brand, the logo, and what it does.)

Putting that into the SL equation, I think even if people don't make it to the current show, advertising yourself anyway puts your name in their minds for the future. There's quite a few people in my daily SL travels that know of me, and know I'm a DJ, but haven't seen a show. Because of my previous ad placement in their mind, we can jump into a conversation which could lead to gaining a devoted fan.... but i digress.

Something is currently "off" about second life music events (and perhaps events and get-togethers in general). The people are simply not coming out to the events.

So...in the meantime, while we all try to figure this out... What do we do?

I think the best method is the Doubledown: "pay it forward pop in" approach.
We all know eachother, we all support eachother.... why not stick your avatar at someone else's show when you're not doing anything? Or just a pop in... it takes a minute to pop in and say hi, maybe listen to one tune. I think if we do this for eachother, we'll have the feeling of abundance of support.

FOOTNOTE: I really hope that last years push about how important it is to tip the performer and the venue hasn't caused a sense that people should tip when they go to a show. I know as a performer, I remember who tips, but I don't remember who doesn't. The musician and the venue don't care if some people can't tip.. Lets hope the SL community understands that we were never demanding tips and donations to show up to a music event.

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There are my thoughts. I wanted to point out that I, and many others in SL are feeling this 'evented-out' (thanks Maryjoanne for the term). Is there something to be done that can "fix" anything? Getting a sense of what's happening is the first step. Group discussion will lead to a turnaround in this current performance event slump in Second Life.

Are you currently feeling 'evented-out'? Do you sense that events aren't pulling crowds like they used to? If you're a performer, have you noticed any of this yourself?
Does anyone have any thoughts or ideas about how to turn around the current SL event slump?

Doubledown's Suggestion on how Mature content should be handled on the Grid

As mentioned before, Linden Lab has announced that mature content (content that is of a lewd sexual nature mostly) will no longer be on allowed on the mainland. Plenty of residents responded with questions: What does that mean? What is going to happen? Where can I park my dildos?
Along with that comes theories as to why Linden Lab would make this major world shift.

I have a suggestion on how to solve the problem without moving anyone (assuming the actual problem is that some people do not want to accidentally run into graphic adult content.)

On all account preferences, we each would have a main account check box that says something like "I agree that by checking this box all lands marked 'mature' will be open and available to me. I understand this means I may unintentionally see things of a graphic nature"
This would be a main account default. If you check the box, you are agreeing that every and all content in world is of their creator's accord, and I want SL to be wide open to me.

Now, if that main account mature preferences is not checked, then the user would see a YES or NO option in mid teleport to a mature sim. When the person would try to teleport to mature land, the person would receive a message "You are about to enter a mature area of Second Life. Click YES to proceed or click NO to return to your previous location." This would prevent anyone from somehow unintentionally coincidentally TPing into a mature themed area.

Let's say the person isn't teleporting over, and they are flying through: a blue box would appear with the same message "You are entering a mature area. You must agree that you are aware that mature uncensored content may be present. Click YES to stay or NO return to your home."

In my opinion, this solves the problem, if the problem is that there are not enough controls to avoid unwanted adult content in any users SL experience. But is that the problem? Linden Lab wants to move every and all mature content off the mainland. Why? If a user wants to control whether they run into adult content or not, it seems my method above would solve the problem.

I do see that it is a good ability to have (especially for business and for education) a preventive measure so you, your clients, your students, will not run into graphic content. However, uprooting a whole society and segregating them to the outskirts of Second Life seems to be the most irrational drastic of all the possibilities available.

Doubledown Tandino

P.S. Who are all these crazy educators that are constantly running into this nasty mature content? How is it that unavoidable? I am in Second Life full time daily and I don't run into anything mature except when MATURE is marked on the land.

P.P.S. I do not believe moving all mature content off the mainland will even solve the problem. When I am inworld, I almost never see where I am on the world map. Up until yesterday, I didn't even know if the land that I've been renting for months was mainland or islands.

Get the METAVOTER & Ditch the Old Green Votebox

I still do not understand why many land owners are so attached the the old green vote boxes. They swear they work, and refuse to get rid of them. I have seen entire packed events, and the votes are going into the boxes.... but...

THESE VOTE BOXES DO NOTHING. They havn't done anything in SL in over 3 years. Although it is a lovely relic from virtual yesteryear, the old green vote box made by Linden is nothing more than decoration. It says "thank you for your vote" and then files the votes under 'D' for 'Doesn't Do Anything'


TIME TO GET THE WORKING LAND VOTER: The MetaVoter!

The METAVOTER, on the otherhand, does EVERYTHING! It is connected to the Metahud worn by thousands. Come and get the Metavoter ( and the Metahud, and the Metakiosk ) for your land for free HERE: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Muse%20Isle%20NorthEast/204/205/26

Have a Second Life Brand? Check out the new Metabrand system too! Did I mention it's entirely free?

I just want to mention...... I am there for YOU (Part 2)

Above is 4 screenshots of the The Monogram Virtua "Skins and Shapes" convention on November 22nd, 12pm-2pm slt. The expo continues onward through the weekend, November 22nd through the 24th.

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On to the point at hand: I refer you to this post I blogged a few days ago:

http://djdoubledown.blogspot.com/2008/11/i-just-want-to-mention-i-am-there-for.html

Please take a moment to review comment 3 and then my response.

There is currently a "punk-crew" within Second Life, that has changed their goals from positive to negative. Previously they were about the promotion and enhancement of the DJ community. Now they spend most of their days simply tearing down other people's projects and creations. It must take a lot of their time planning to slander other people, instead of just continuing on with your initial goals. I am just a small portion of their hassles, mainly because I am completely indifferent to what they do, nor have their methods ever been anything but laughable. However, newer DJs, performers, and Venue Owners are arriving in SL, and running into this punk crew. Overall, no matter what this punkcrew wants to do, my simple suggestion is whenever you hear from someone in SL that "someone said this and that" or "someone did this and that" .. just go ask the people involved directly. Why would a DJ/Production crew rather spend their time trying to slander or incriminate other real performer/production crews?

As the picture shows above, if anyone feels that packing a sim during my performances is a bad thing, then please let me know in advance so I can make sure not to get booked for your show.

At the start of my Monogram Virtua booking (which happened to be the start of the whole weekend, so things were just getting started), I was hired to be a DJ for 2 hours.

However because I am a good community member, I WANT to HELP by packing the convention center, instead of leaving it vacant. As I started my show, there was NO ONE present, NO ONE in charge, NO hosts, NO managers, NO vendors, and basically NO ONE that should have been there running the event. There was only me, the DJ, and no one there... and I was hired to start performing at 12pm.

a) I could have DJed from 12pm-2pm and then left.

or

b) I could take on the host/emcee/promoter/DJ role to make the event work even though I was the ONLY person around to make the event work.

Let me ask you, do you want someone to work FOR you and FOR your company REPRESENTING YOUR PROJECT out of kindness? Or do you just want an unprofessional jackass that just abandons shows, cuts off their live stream, and burns bridges just because the previous plans turned out differently?

It's all about professionalism and reputation in SL, and that is displayed directy from the avatar,... not from word of mouth, faked chatlogs, especially coming from someone you do not trust in the first place.

Feel free to comment about your own experiences or current dramas & distractions while you progress on your productions. Please REFRAIN from naming names. It's probably best if in the comments no one is specifically calling people out. Instead, use the space to describe what YOU are dealing with. This post isn't about supporting me. It is about supporting us all, everyone. I think if we can hear some common experiences, and even arguments, at least that is progress. We can then take the next step and figure out how to transform these various issues and greivances into more cohesive unit in the Second Life DJ and Club community.

Why I think Google is pulling the plug on "Lively"

Lively is a google enhanced chatroom, sorta virtual world MMO, sorta kinda.

For info on Google's Lively, and ending the service only after 5 months, I refer you to Sarah Nerd of http://www.your2ndplace.com/ : Google Lively Already Ending Only 5 Months After it Opens.
November 20, 2008 by Sarah Nerd

There are other Second Life blogs that have mentioned this (http://www.massively.com/ / www.nwn.com/blog ) I'm sure you'll hit those two.

[HERE} I would generally add a screenshot of what Lively looks like, but imagine this image:

a general cliche of a cartoon character facing the corner of an empty room.

That's the photo of Google's Lively.

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I bring this up here: my theory as to the reasons why they're shutting it down. I believe it is NOT because it sucks, NOT seems childish, NOT because no one is using it, and NOT because no one gets it or likes it.... yes, those are all the reasons, however.... It was all just testing for Google to get their feet wet in the metaverse.

Google, I am guessing, almost predicting the future.... Google is using the technology from Lively, plus whatever they learned about social interaction, and is now moving toward these two technologies instead:

http://www.exitreality.com/

ExitReality is a new technology that has made the entire Internet 3D. By creating an instant 3D world from any web page, ExitReality adds a new dimension to the Internet. And this new universe of inter-connected worlds expands even beyond 2D to include thousands of innovative 3D places and games created over the past decade, and now ready to be explored.

&

http://www.weblin.com/

Meet your friendsand new peopleon every website!
weblin makes you and others on the Web visible as small avatars. There are others on the same page you are on right now. Weblin opens a new and exciting world on every web site.
Get to know people with the same interests. Do you want to enter this world? Get your personal weblin now!

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Both of these (which may I add have been discussed within Second Life in conversations for the past 4 years) are the beginnings of the future of the internet. Second Life is a virtual universe; a fictional world built up by the residents to make that inworld metaverse a reality..... and Linden Lab was always hoping that Second Life would be the "future of the internet"

Then comes along ExitReality and Weblin. The combination of these two would mean: any one can browse any webpage in a 3d virtual environment, while also seeing and chatting with other viewers on that page.

.... I remember pre-corporation SL times, 2006, Philip Linden would have town-hall speeches about how Second Life would one day be like "the future of the internet"...... (sidenote: thats why LL need corporations in SL now, because they need corps in SL so as Exitreality and Weblin technology comes out, the corps already have contracts set up with Linden Lab.)
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ExitReality is clunky and barely works..... its so flunky. The concept and ideal of it is brilliant, but it simpy DOES NOT WORK currently... I'm sure Google could drop a cool couple million on the company that created it and buy it out..... which then becomes Google's technology.

Weblin, which I am seeing much more potential in usefulness (Weblin is the new black of instant messagers). Google will simply use their Lively technology and create their own Google form of a weblin instant messaging)....

--

So there's my guess, based on no fact, and no info. I am simply venturing an assumption as to why Google Lively is cancelling:

Google is cancelling Lively in order to create a much better social network virtual situation: which is a combination of viewing websites with other users, in a 3d environment, while being able to chat with others on the webpage.

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As an unrelatable footnote: I have always refused to use the phrase "Instant Messenger" ... and I will continue to use the word "messager". I believe that it is called "Instant MESSAGER" and AOL fucked up years ago, and the name just stuck. Keep in mind... you are sending an instant message, not an instant messenger . The little yellow AOL running guy is not really the instant messenger delivering your message to the other person. SO, in conclusion. You send instant messages, you receive instant messages, and when two people are messaging eachother..... they are not 'messengering' : You are using an instant MESSAGER.

I just want to mention...... I am there for YOU

Doubledown Tandino from Second Life here:
This is simply to spread the word to you, and possibly that word will be spread onward.

I've written several scripts (now 4 months of work) which are my server auto-promotion tools.... i will divulge nothing more because they are extremely awesome scripts I made, and I would never sell them, and pretty much not even want to explain what they are doing.... but trust me, the tools I've created are nothing but GOOD for whichever parcel I am standing on, it causes ZERO lag, there is no form of seedy data collection. (Most people seem to assume I must be using some sort of bot system which auto spams to 1000s of groups or some other nasty method). Believe me, it has NOTHING to do with that.

ANYHOOOOOO.... lately, people may have been seeing me show up to their party, venue, or club, with an attached floating box near me. I come into the venue, sit, and just dont say a word. Some managers and hosts don't care or mind, some get suspicious and IM me, some eject me, some eject and ban me.... either way it doesnt matter, all are fine. It is their land, and have full rights to.

However, I want to mention, that when I come in and do this, I am dramatically helping the venue/land I'm standing in, and also AFK, not paying attention to SL, and probably watching TV.

When I see a good event about to happen, but know I'm not involved in SL or my computer during that time, I tend to drop my avatar off at a venue, and in essence have my auto scripts run on my avatar. They enhance the land in the short term and long term.

In exchange for doing this, I need to have a small floating box attached to me.

All-in-all I was spending the last few months trying to explain one-on-one what O was actually doing to help when venue managers ask. It's just getting too time consuming for me to try to explain the methods I am doing to help by dropping my avatar off at an event. It looks suspicious if you do not know me, so that is why I understand an ejection from the land.

Anyway, just wanted to say, that if you see me doing this, showing up, not saying a word, and sitting at one spot with a small floating box near me, it is 110% to HELP the venue, the land,and the performer. There is nothing suspicious going on. There is nothing spammy related, nothing occurring to make your venue look bad, theres nothing that causes lag, and im not doing any tactics that aren't on the level. The ONLY thing i am doing is using my AFK time and server to HELP the venue, .. rather than just logging off....

Please do what you will as venue owners, managers, and performers. IF i am there and afk with a box on my head, i am working FOR you.... if anyone ejects me I totally wont take any offense to it at all, and I understand, because I do realize I am doing this without asking and without explanation. I am hoping my trustworthy reputation and community support activist reputation will allow people simply to be okay with me and think
"whatever the heck he's doin over there he's helping, not hurting, so just leave him there, and dont eject/ban him because he wont explain what he's doing. Doubledown is there helping us."

Doubledown's Dinky Rants - Go Take Your Bucket Somewhere Else! There's Plenty of Beach!

When I go to the beach, I like to build little castles and dig mindlessly. Once in awhile I get a little kid, perhaps 5 or 6, that wants to offer his or her opinion... and perhaps start building with me.

Now this annoys me. Perhaps it's because I know what's to follow. My casual leisurely random digging and building has now become a partnership with a 5 year old that feels his opinions on the project are in dire need of initiation. Plus, there are plenty of errors this 5 year old points out to show how my previous work can be improved now that he's here. AND... he's got a bucket..... ....but, he's a 5 year old, so I let the kid do his thing, and we hang out and build what he wants.

Perhaps the reason I'd rather build sandcastles alone is because I always got a "needs improvement" under "does not work well with others" on my grade school report cards. Perhaps it's because I just wanna lie on the beach, fiddle with sand at my own pace, and not think about starting a collaboration with a 5 year old.

Now, lets move to Second Life. If you see me, or anyone building.... in a sandbox, or on private land, it's okay to watch the creative building process, but PLEASE, don't start offering opinions, and PLEASE don't start collabo building onto a project while spouting out how the build could be much better with your help. Sometimes, people just wanna dig in sand alone.

Doubledown's Dinky Rants - Virtual Worlds Created for Collaboration still remain in Isolation

After viewing this:

I got a nice warm feeling about the future, followed by a feeling of nausea. These smart-alecs that can create virual worlds may be missing the point. Each virtual world is about community & collaboration. The users make the world, no matter how much the company prefabricates it. The entire concept of "virtual universe" or "virtual internet space" is a brilliant thing..... but do we need 50 of them???

I was watching this video, thinking, there's 50 (or more) collectives... or groups... or companies.. or just one smart nerd in the basement.... making these virtual worlds... for people to log in to and collaborate in.... however, not one of these virtual worlds has yet to work with another virtual world. Practical virtual spaces have been in operation for over a decade. Not ONE of these worlds has yet to connect to another.

My view: I watch this video of 50 of the same concept, with the same redundant technology, and same perspective of the internet. It's about time these virtual universes start collaborating much like their users inside.

Doubledown's Dinky Rants - Second Life is Dead?! NO, You just have no Second Life!

"Doubledown's Dinky Rants"

... a rant that may be mildly to severly unimportant ( with a sarcastic humorous tone ) but will also hopefully point out an underlining issue that may want to be considered for the future.

Recently I've been noticing a few people talking about how "Second Life is dead." The quick links to their articles are not HERE, HERE, & HERE, which I'm not going to bother to link to.
That's pretty funny to me how, yet again, for the 3rd or 4th or 5th summer in a row, some journalist, or some educationalist, or mostly just a statistics firm trying to make their mark decides to contrive an article about Second Life.

It is obvious to any frequent SL resident that these stories about SL being dead are based on looking at a month or so of some LL stats... AND THATS ALL! It's not a SL resident that IS in fact inworld, most every day, alive... not dead.... ALIVE!.

So... in my opinion... Second Life isn't dead.... If you think it is, then YOUR Second Life is dead, but not everyone else's. Summer stats showing premium member declines mean NOTHING! It's Summertime. People go outside. People leave college. Quite frankly, who wants to play Second Life when the birds are outside chirping and its a great day for the beach?!

I would advise research firms to stop writing about the end of Second Life, because when you do, it becomes clear you don't use Second Life, and have no clue what you're writing about. By doing this, you discredit yourself and everything else you write. Why don't you spend a year or two living with the natives before you write about us and our world.

Doubledown's Dinky Rant - SL5B Music in SL Panel Discussion

Continuing my approach to adjust my blog, I preset the first of many

"Doubledown's Dinky Rants"
... a rant that may be mildly to severly unimportant ( with a sarcastic humorous tone ) but will also hopefully point out an underlining issue that may want to be considered for the future.

SL5B Music in SL Panel Discussion was held June 23rd. .... I would have loved to have informed ya about it. In fact, I would have loved to have known about it. Unforunately I don't receive word until I find out about it July 3rd

Thank you Phoenix Psaltery of Metaverse Messenger for covering the event.
Thank you Sansarya Caligari of Second Life News Network for covering the event.

Now, given, in my all new dinky rants I'm allowed to be a conceited asshole so my question to the SL universe is: "Why didn't anyone inform me?" I read all of the SL blogs & forums daily & check the news. I also have many friends that were speakers at the event. Or even friends of people that were at the event? Was I living under a rock that day? So why the hell didn't I hear about it? I'm sure people are going to show me online locations and inworld stuff that shows the prepromotion of this panel discussion... but I sure never saw it. /end rant

My point is that the SL metaverse is a massive overwhelming salad bowl of constant happenings. You can't follow all of the events all of the time however you can always receive the advanced event notice, the invite, or the promotion associated with the event. If I am not receiving your promotional information, other people are not either. Every event, every performance, every seminar, every discussion... if you want the people present that you want there, you need to make them aware. If you are at an event and you see someone that should be there, but is not, IM them and invite em over :O)