Betterverse: Nonprofits in the Virtual World

Virtual Dubuque: Walk through an Iowa City from Your Browser

Arch Virtual announces the launch of "Virtual Dubuque," a web-based 3D virtual simulation of Dubuque, Iowa.  It's a new way for local businesses, government and services to present information to the public using virtual technologies.  

Using the 3D Unity platform and their ArchTech Engine, they are creating a 3D version of the city of Dubuque that you can easily navigate using your mouse and arrow keys.  Floating signboards link to additional content like the menu of a restaurant or available listings in front of a real estate agency. Simulated residents walk the streets, music plays nearby, and snow gently falls to add versimillitude to the experience.

It felt like a super-charged version of Google Street View to me.  The Main Street section ran seamlessly on my MacBook Pro, but I couldn't get the Downtown Overview to work properly.  

Arch Virtual claims that their technology allows for more than just a static 3D rendering of a current locale, but also can include gelocation to real world coordinates, dynamic links to databases, and layers of interactive content.  The ability to show both the past and potential future of an area to me sounds like a powerful use of this technology, i.e. being able to shift from the current view of a street to how it looked 50 years ago, and how it might look 50 years from now.

Read more about it on archvirtual.com. And you can check it out yourself at dubuque.archvirtual.com. 

Second Life Residents Discuss Implications of SOPA / PIPA on Virtual Worlds, Free Expression

Last Friday, January 20, at the Nonprofit Commons in Second Life, we had a great conversation about the proposed SOPA / PIPA legislation that would impose stiff penalties on websites and internet services that posted links to alleged copyrighted content. About 45 avatars crowded into the NPC amphitheater to share their views on bills before the US Congress, and the potential impact on the internet, free expression, and virtual worlds.

Thanks to the 45 avatars who came to participate!

Here's a summary of the some of the key points and links for further information and commentary.

SOPA/PIPA Discussion at the Nonprofit Commons this Friday, January 20

This Friday January 20, at 8:30am PT, I am hosting a special Nonprofit Commons meeting. We are inviting the our community and all residents of Second Life to join us to talk about the proposed SOPA / PIPA bills before the US Congress, and their larger implications for the internet, virtual worlds, nonprofits and education. Join us this Friday at the Plush Nonprofit Commons at this teleport link.

For those that still don't know, SOPA stands for "stop online piracy act" and is designed to go after websites and services that provide links to copyrighted material. Here are a couple of links to detailed descriptions of SOPA:

• CNN http://money.cnn.com/2012/01/17/technology/sopa_explained/index.htm
• NY Times http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/c/copyrights/index.html

And here's Hamlet Au's reporting on how SOPA might threaten Second Life and other virtual worlds:

 http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2012/01/eff-says-sopa-threatens-second-life.html

See you Friday morning at the NPC!

Nonprofit Commons

Take a horse-drawn carriage tour of Nonprofit Commons, an area that contains more than 150 nonprofit and social benefit organizations in Second Life.

Visit in Second Life

Minecraft going dark on January 18 to Protest Web Censorship, Linden Lab is silent

 

From a tweet by Minecraft creator Notch, I learned that the website of the sandbox MMO game Minecraft will be going "dark" in solidarity with thousands of other sites on the internet closing their doors in protest of the PIPA / SOPA legislation before the US Congress. 

To be clear, the game Minecraft will still be playable for those that have already downloaded and activated it.  Just the web-version of the game and the website Minecraft.net will not be accessible. Still, that's a bold move for one of the hottest online games out there!

 No other MMOs or virtual worlds that I know of are planning similar actions, unfortunately, despite EFF confirming that these games and worlds are just as prone to censorship and punishment as "regular" websites. New World Notes asked Linden Lab, the makers of Second Life, if they would be issuing a statement or taking any kind of stand.  Their press person said that he "had not comment at this time."  How disappointing since Second Life could just as easily be put under scrutiny, penalized and even shut down, if even one of its millions of residents were to post links to some infringing content.

That's too bad.  It would be a powerful statement if the metaverse went dark, and if millions of players went to their representatives to tell them to oppose these bills.

Moving My Domains from Godaddy on December 29 for "Move Your Domain Day"

I probably should have done this a long time ago, but on December 29 I'm moving my web domains from the domain name registrar Godaddy.com to another service.  

I probably should have done it awhile ago. Godaddy has tacky, sexist advertising. The CEO enjoys killing elephant for sport. And finally earlier this month, they announced their support for the SOPA legislationthat threatens the underlying structure of the internet.  WTF?

Reddit user "selfprodigy" started by ball rolling on December 23 by pledging to move 51 of his domains from Godaddy until they express their opposition to SOPA.  He also suggested that others do the same on December 29, i.e. "Move Your Domain Day." The opposition has grown and grown, with even Wikipedia moving their domains.

So I'm going to do my little bit as well.  If you'd like to do the same, here's some info on how to move your domain and where you can go to publicly pledge your opposition to Godaddy's support of SOPA.  

2012 Federal Consortium of Virtual Worlds Conference Set for May 16-18

Federal Consortium for Virtual Worlds Overview from Eric Hackathorn on Vimeo.

Paulette Robinson sends out details about the 2012 Federal Consortium for Virtual Worlds Conference, the annual gathering of the consortium, which is designed to "explore multi-agency and intra- agency collaboration using the robust capabilities of virtual worlds, examining best practices across multiple sectors."  They always have an impressive mix of government agencies, technology providers, and academics studying the field at this event.

The 2012 FCVW conference will be held on May 16 (workshops) and May 17-18 (main conference program) at the National Defense University in Washington DC. You can participate in person for a fee or online for free.  Head to the official website for details on the conference starting in mid-January.

Smithsonian Celebrates "Dia de Los Muertos" in Second Life October 31-November 2

Today through Wednesday (October 31 to November 2), come celebrate the "Dia de los Muertos" (Day of the Dead) at the Smithsonian's Latino Virtual Museum in Second Life.  According to the website:

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a day of celebration for the people of Latin America, particularly in Mexico and Central America, and more recently for Mexican Americans. Rather than grieve over the loss of a beloved family or friend, they choose to commemorate the lives of the dearly departed and welcome the return of their spirits. The history of Day of the Dead is embedded with Pre-Hispanic and Spanish customs. These customs shaped the common elements of traditional Mexican Dia de los Muertos. 

Here's the schedule of events as of press time:

Monday October 31

5:30pm PDT Opening Procession

Participate in this opening procession starting in the placita area (town square) of Latino Virtual Museum’s Music Island and weaving through the path of marigolds. The procession includes performances by Elena Díaz Bjorkquist as Teresita Urrea, Nancy Lorenza Green ( percussion), Maria Miranda Maloney and Griselda Muñoz (poetry), and a blessing by Francisco X. Alarcón. After the procession, help build an altar dedicated to Lalo Guerrero, Israel "Cachao" Lopez, Selena, Tito Puente, Gilbert ‘Magu’ (Sanchez) Lujan, and La Lupe.

Tuesday November 1

5:30pm PDT Dead Poets Reading

6:30pm PDT Performance and Interview with Radio La Chusma

Wednesday November 2

12pm PDT Traditional Ball Game Tournament

6pm PDT Costume Contest

6:30pm PDT Race Car Sculptures by Chicano artist Magu

Looks like they have really beefed up their program from last year's event and the year before.

For more information, see the official website or head to the Latino Virtual Museum at this teleport link. 

SF Mayoral Candidate David Chiu at Online Community Meetup this Wednesday in Second Life

The SF Online Community MeetUp is the free monthly gathering of online community managers, enthusiasts, and innovators to meet and discuss tools and strategies for building and managing effective communities. 

Our guest speaker this month are President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and San Francisco Mayoral Candidate, David Chiu, and his Mayoral Campaign's New Media Director, Candice Dayoan. Join us to learn how the David Chiu for Mayor campaign is using new media to educate the citizens of San Francisco on pressing local issues and create civic engagement and learn about the online community challenges unique to political campaigns. The meetup will be on October 26, beginning at 7pm PT and last about one hour.

Here are all the ways you can take part in the event: 

• Participate virtually in the Nonprofit Commons in Second Life (slurl to location in Second Life) . You can see a step-by-step guide for how to participate in Second Life.
• Come in person to 525 Brannan Street, Suite 300 San Francisco, CA.
• Follow the action on Twitter via hashtag: #octribe.

Join the San Francisco Online Community Report MeetUp group on Facebook. The Online Community Meetup is sponsored by TechSoup.org.

 

Using Virtual Tools for Political Action : Visiting the "Occupy Second Life" Group

Tonight I rezzed into one of the "Occupy SL" planning meetings in Second Life, inspired by the real world "Occupy Oakland" tent city I walked through today over lunch.  I didn't really know what to expect.

I found twenty-some avatars hanging out in the Second Life Leftist Union area (teleport link), talking in an open and inclusive way about what kind of action to plan next.  No one was really in charge, although folks volunteered to take notes, do outreach, and planning as the meeting went on. Over the course of an hour or so, a rough plan of action came together that everyone was excited about (that I can't really divulge).  It was kind of inspiring watching it all come together -- democracy in action, as it were.

I don't think any of them would claim that these virtual actions are in any way equal to what people are doing in the real world in tent cities all around the US and the world.  But as a way of connecting different activists and actions , and doing public outreach in a new way, the "Occupy SL" group wants to use this virtual platform to amplify the movement.  

Here's how the "Occupy SL" group describes themselves:

Just as in 1st Life (of which, Second Life is only an extension), so many people in Second life are enthused, empowered, and emboldened by the Occupy Wall Street protest in NYC and those spreading across the country. Many of them are deeply involved in their own local occupation groups. We have formed this group and networking space in Second Life as a place to meet, inform, network, educate others, and plan actions in Second Life. We invite all people to come and join us in solidarity as the 99% begin to be heard.

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UPDATE 10/20: Apparently, there is an "Occupy SL" protest planned for this Saturday, October 22. If you would like to be involved, join their group for details on where and when.

If you would like to find out more, teleport over to their HQ at this link, join their facebook group, or follow the #OccupySL hashtag on Twitter.  

Occupy SL

Got an opinion? Want to talk to others about recent events? Join in the current political protests and make your voice heard at this SL Left Unity sim. Visit www.slleftunity.com for more info.

Visit in Second Life

 

Doug Maxwell of US Army on Military Applications of Virtual Worlds

On September 23, at the Nonprofit Commons in Second Life, Douglas Maxwell of the U.S. Army Simulation & Training Technology Center spoke about the "MOSES" virtual world being used by the US Army for prototyping and training purposes.  Read about how the US Army is using virtual worlds to train soldiers in how to handle difficult cross-cultural negotiations in real time, among other applications.

Doug's edited remarks appear after the jump...