Internet Field Trip

After logging in to ActiveWorlds I accidentally caught a glimpse of my avatar and was shocked to discover that I was ugly. I wandered around for a while and discovered that there were quite a few people who looked exactly the same and few, if any, of them were communicating. Fellow virgin, cheapskate ActiveWorldonians?

While wandering I pondered Adam's question about the differences between regular IM programs and the 3D environment. It seems to me that a better question would be to find the similarities. They are very different. They both allow a person to communicate however IM doesn't allow a person to get lost in the fantasy of creating a whole new persona complete with name, hairdo and funky clothes. The 3D environment allows a person to be less inhibited, to try new things, behave in ways they wouldn't be comfortable behaving in the physical world without huge consequences. Its a form of escapism. IM programs are great for everyday use. I think they're used in a different way with different purposes to a 3D environment. IM is generally used between people who already know each other as a form of basic communication. It doesn't allow for body language or any form of visual communication.

Apparently its possible to play games, chat with strangers and morph to different worlds. My attention span doesn't allow for all that carry on. Call me old fashioned but I'd still prefer to speak to solid, physical people. I appreciate the attraction of these different worlds for some people but I really don't have enough time to explore them in depth. Maybe in another life!

So, where might this 3D application lead us you ask. Well its an interesting question and honostly I don't know the answer. Perhaps we'll end up with square eyes and permanently attatched to a computer via a portal in our belly button, slowly evolving into computers ourselves.

Playing with photoshop

This is my rather dismal attempt to edit photos on photoshop. I prefer Ryan to the fish though.

Tutorial Task - Catch of the Day

Now all she needs a fry pan big enough. Okay, so you've seen this sort of thing before. If you've ever been to Pisa you were probably photographed holding that leaning tower up with one finger. This is along the same lines. Thought it was kinda silly - I mean its a big fish for god's sake. I think it fits into the unconventional category.

Tutorial Task - Photos (family)

This is the first photo from my tutorial task of posting unedited photos to my blog. It fits neatly into the family category. Its a picture of my husband, Karl, with our two boys, Aiden and Ryan, while on holiday at Orana Wildlife Park in Christchurch. From the look on their faces the kids need a nap.

Do you like my new hat? Another unedited photograph of my family. This is Ryan with Dziadek (Polish for grandfather, pronounced Jadek) celebrating his second birthday. Looks like they both need a nap.

And My Money Was On the Chicken!

Admittedly I expected to be bored silly at today's lecture on video games but it was surprisingly interesting. Contrary to what Adam thought I had never heard the statistic that the video game industry was more lucrative than the film industry. I also liked the comment made by one of the students that Pac Man was his favorite video game. Nice to know the classics have stood the test of time though there was no mention of my personal favorite, Frogger.

At one point during the lecture I was wondering what video games have to do with communication technology. I've always considered video games to be rather antisocial and the antithesis of communication. Adam answered that question for me when he told us that video games have been "intertwined with the development of computer technology". Interesting. So which came first, Adam - the chicken or the egg?