Last week, we spoke about anonymity and privacy, and in so doing we brushed past the concept of identity. The problem of identity has been with us for quite some time, as a species and as a set of societies. Newer technologies, such as the telephone and the Public Internet do not make the problem harder or more intractable, but they sure do make it a lot easier to actually … [Read more...] about The identity paradox
Anonymity versus privacy, online and in atoms
Much is touted about the Public Internet and virtual environments constituting mediums of anonymity - that the actions of users are essentially anonymous and free of consequence. That's actually pretty far from the truth. There's anonymity and there's privacy, and these are two rather different qualities, and are available in quite a different mix to what common knowledge … [Read more...] about Anonymity versus privacy, online and in atoms
The Internet, video games, virtual environments and social networks: The new Demon Drink
An Engineering student at the University of Texas Austin murdered his wife and his mother at their homes, then shot and killed 14 people (and wounded 32 others) at his school, before being killed by police officers. A Japanese woman who had been dumped by her Sappporo boyfriend destroyed some of his property and records. A Houston woman believed her husband was having an … [Read more...] about The Internet, video games, virtual environments and social networks: The new Demon Drink
Does a cross-platform interface make Second Life a second-class application?
If you're a Mac user, you know you've got access to a whole slew of first-class applications. That is, apps that follow the user-interface style guidelines for the Mac. Painstakingly developed and tested over time, the guidelines ensure consistent layouts of menus, options and hotkeys, so that you don't spend your time struggling to work out how to do the familiar, when you … [Read more...] about Does a cross-platform interface make Second Life a second-class application?
Virtual world IP: not a steal
Virtual environments and the public Internet sport a bewildering array of economies, from purely fantasy economies to real money trading between users. Fundamentally, many of these are currency-based economies which we all understand - you purchase something you value and give something of value in exchange. That is, you buy something you want with some manner of … [Read more...] about Virtual world IP: not a steal