katakat.com bytes from a participant observer

I had to do some research on Multi User Virtual Environments (MUVEs) for my latest class, so I took a closer look at Second Life. I tried it last year on my old iMac, and it was underwhelming; my avatar was just two black pom-pons. Now that I've got a newer iMac, the interface is fantastic, and I found out that those black things were actually my avatar's pigtails. Moving around the environment is pretty cool-- you can fly and crash land, walk off six-story buildings, bonk your head, and sometimes get stuck in exhibits. Ok, so I haven't quite mastered the fine art of movement. But the place seems like an interesting concept, especially for educational purposes. Universities and libraries are getting into it, establishing islands that users can visit. Here's a postcard I sent from my virtual travels a few weeks ago (this is the furthest I get from my home):