Friday, October 24, 2008

Finally Got OpenSim Working [from iPhone]

Duncan (@digitalpulse) and I got OpenSim running today, at work.

Just started fiddling. Hmmm, localised machinima :-)

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Back to Weblin

Not been near Weblin for a while so thought I'd pop back over, download the software again, and see if it's grown.

Weblin is a kinda AV driven chat ap that lets you have a 'physical representation' on each page you visit in your browser and allows you to take your AV with you on your surfing day.

It's now not uncommon, as a user, to come across a site where there are other Weblins, sat chilling in your browser window with your own, that you can choose to engage with (not that you do most of the time) and strike up a conversation. On this page alone there's probably 5 or 6 you can't see right now, hanging around on the blogger domain so all showing on each others pages. What's nice here is that often chat is related to the common ground of the topic of webpage your visiting (I met 2 Who geek weblin frothing on about RTD's latest insult to the fan base on the BBC site). There's potential here, and Weblin Easter eggs for sites would be a great way to attract little swarms of community visitors, I'd love to get my hands on dev tools for this ("come to BBC Who and pick up your free Rassilon patch", etc.). The sports branding an AV's is starting to creep in, which means investment, which means money.

While seemingly very basic, Weblin also has it's own visual AV creation system and small virtual economy. This is one of those things worth checking on from time to time, and a great way of involuntarily promoting community by 'almost accidental' shared interest. I like it, but I'm not sure why.

Try it, it's kinda interesting, and tag/friend me as "Lactose" if you get the chance. It's possible to have more than one AV on the same account too, switching over as required.

I'll try importing a pic of an SL AV later, which looks easy enough, and I need to revamp my bloated Messanger contact list as it is, and this might be a better way to collect my virtual buddies together while still maintain some anonimity and character. In a kinda way, at very basic level, this is sorts like taking AVs from other worlds and letting them come with you as you go about the Internet, plus might be a nice way of supporting your virtual worlds identities :-)

Wednesday, October 08, 2008

RL Meet-up in London?

6pm GMT (10am SLT) onwards, Sunday 19th October ‘08? Should be a grin.

It’s the night before Virtual Worlds London at the QEII Conference Centre and I wondered if anyone fancied joining us for a social in The Greyhound, Kensington, London?

RL London will be filling up with folks from all over Europe, and I thought it might be cool to have a get together in the RL Greyhound, the bridge between realities in Kensington, to have a drink and say hello.

Situated in Second Life, opposite Northcliffe House (the SL and RL Daily Mail building in Derry Street where I work in both worlds) it’s as much part of the virtual furniture of London as the real one is of Kensington Square. Run by the same staff (oi, oi, Kwame) in both worlds it often hosts real world and virtual world cross-over events and entertains real and virtual workers and locals from the Kensington area.

So, regardless, perfect place for a pre-conference meet-up of virtual friends and work-mates from 6, including in-world press, musicians, developers and ‘mirror-world’ Kensington staff from the sims at sllondonestates.com

All are welcome. The Greyhound staff will be streaming the evening to and from the virtual pub. Come meet some of the people who work in the local area (in both worlds), look at how the 2 cross, meet other people who’ll be attending Virtual Worlds London, and help break the reality barrier :-) It’s just around the corner from High Street Kensington tube station.

Join us in RL, or join us in SL. See ya there :-)

RL: 1, Kensington Square, London, W8 5EP: Review - Map
SL: Kensington Square, Kensington W8 London. SLURL: Kensington W8 London/225/64/22

Saturday, October 04, 2008

Which One of You... [from iPhone]

...put this on the back of my chair?

Confess now, make it easy on yourselves, I read your email.

Thursday, October 02, 2008

Digital Team of the Year! [from iPhone]

Andy, Duncan, Hoony, Nav, John, Alex, Claire, guys, girls, this ones for for you. 'Digital Team of the Year' at the Newspaper Society Awards for Lasting Tribute, Big Green Switch, etc. as well as 'Niche Website of the Year' and 'Digital Innovation of the Year'.

Somewhat ironic with things having changed at ANDigital this week and that 'award winning' team being split-up all over the company...

Links added when sober.