Slashdot Log In
Sun Holds News Conference In Second Life
Posted by
kdawson
on Thu Oct 12, 2006 04:08 PM
from the avatars-of-the-press dept.
from the avatars-of-the-press dept.
mikesd81 writes, "Internet News is reporting that Sun held an in-world news conference in the online game Second Life. From the article: 'Tuesday, Sun became the first Fortune 500 company to hold an "in-world" press conference to show off its new pavilion in Second Life, the popular 3D online world. Sun said it plans to invest in the Sun Pavilion as a place for developers to try out code, share ideas, and receive training.' Sun hopes to reach millions of Java developers, as opposed to the 22,000 that show up at its JavaOne conference each year." Good luck with that goal of "millions" — the total population of SL is under 800,000. And, who knew that Sun has a Chief Gaming Officer? Good quote from him in the article. He said Second Life isn't a game, "It's an amazing platform for global communications."
This discussion has been archived.
No new comments can be posted.
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
Full
Abbreviated
Hidden
Loading... please wait.
Too bad... (Score:5, Informative)
Some more info on SL and mono (Score:3, Informative)
Global communications, old news. (Score:3, Insightful)
The Year 2000 Called (Score:5, Insightful)
Seriously though, I think this is another sign that Sun isn't focused. Yes they have product and technology, but I don't see them turning it into sales. Company hasn't kept up with market changes in this way.
Warm and fuzzy this may be, but show me the money!
Re:The Year 2000 Called (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Re:The Year 2000 Called (Score:4, Funny)
Parent
Cost a factor? (Score:4, Interesting)
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Yeah sure (Score:5, Funny)
What value does SL bring to reaching developers? (Score:5, Interesting)
Come on, Sun, tell us how it does things that can't be more efficiently served with a website and forums?
Re:What value does SL bring to reaching developers (Score:4, Interesting)
So you see no advantage to going to conferences or classrooms as learning experiences? Let's just shut down all the colleges then. Pheonix U online should be just as good as Harvard or MIT.
Oh, wait, now maybe there is some advantage to the classroom/conference format. OK, now if you want more people to show up, you have to get a bigger meeting space, arrange dates for when it's not in use by some other organization, arrange for people to travel to the location, arrange for places for them to stay, and figure out a way to pay for all of that.
But if we can get all of the advantages to a real-time, interpersonal learning environmet with top notch presentations and leading experts, but with none of the travel, hosting, or cost issues, isn't this exactly the kind of value added service we (that being technology advocates) have touted the web as providing for so many years? Yes, it comes wrapped in all the other silliness and baggage that is Second Life, but had Sun released this as a stand alone client/learning environment, and Second Life didn't exist, everyone would be hailing this as proof that tech can provide most of the benefits of a real life meeting, while avoiding the static and overly artificial interaction of webpages and forums. In fact, once VoIP is fully integrated, and dynamic expressions become easier and clearer (a frown while someone is listening to you, or the tone/type of clapping after your presentation provides a world of useful information back to a speaker) this could replace 80% of the gain I get from attending conferences. That loss would be more than offset by using this to allow me to attend far more learning and idea sharing forums.
Parent
Lets hold a press conference on an unsupported OS? (Score:4, Interesting)
Why didn't they just hold it in Microsoft Netmeeting?
Re:Lets hold a press conference on an unsupported (Score:5, Insightful)
They're basically saying, rather than roll our own online "environment" for this project, we'll just use a pre-existing one, and save our company some money by not doing a lot of extra work. That seems to make sense to me.
Parent
The only minor hiccup was when... (Score:3, Funny)
Second Life, Second Attempt (Score:3, Funny)
Sun Microsystems first attempt was to do a massive, universal campaign in another popular online game, EVE-ONLINE. Reports are scarce, but from credible witnesses flying around in Polaris ships to monitor the event, the endeavour quickly became a fiasco.
Sun thought Querious, which permitted word play for 'query' and provided them to boast their server and sql database presentation, would be a good idea to rally tons of people to the event.
Unfortunately, a large in-game Alliance known as Band of Brothers [BoB], setup a trap to permit tons of people into pouring into their soverign territory. While Sun Microsystems (working with Quaff Marketing Agents) to launch the event, BoB came in with Interceptors, Heavy Assault Cruisers, Battleships, Carriers and Motherships and podded everyone except for the GMs. Many petitions were filed that day, even Sun Microsystems employees filed petitions. As usual, all those petitions fell on deaf ears. Across the street from CCP in Iceland, police received complaints from residents nearby for excessive laughter.
Sun Holds News Conference In Second Life (Score:3, Funny)
Re:amazing platform for global communications...? (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Re:amazing platform for global communications...? (Score:5, Informative)
However there are some not-so-hidden cost barriers to entry. You need a good cable or DSL connection, and the SL client is able to bring even the most modern gaming machine to its knees at high settings and certain locations. If your setup is already able to play Counterstrike:Source nicely, then Second Life should work OK.
Parent
Re:amazing platform for global communications...? (Score:4, Informative)
No payment information on file
Payment Info on file but not used
Payment Info used
Locations can be restricted based on your payment information to keep out people who have not provided billing information.
New free accounts no longer get a weekly stipend of Linden Dollars.
Parent
SL Hyperinflation (Score:3, Interesting)
If they're giving everyone a constant supply of money in their weekly stipend, isn't that just like a country's central bank printing money? How does the price of goods not spiral out of control?
Is it just because they're constantly pulling money out of the economy through land rent, that they can do it?
Re:SL Hyperinflation (Score:5, Informative)
There are other "sinks" in the economy as well. Uploading a texture or sound file costs L$10 and that money basically "disappears." Ditto with the fee for creating new user groups (L$100).
Linden Labs has actually found that, to help stabilize the exchange rate, they have to sell L$ on their currency market themselves. The exchange rate, after peaking at around L$330/US$1, now seems to have stabilized at L$275-280/US$1 for the present.
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
I've been lurking around SL lately just to figure out what all the buzz is about and would say it's a platform in which you can create and manipulate objects, avatars, and buildings. Interaction via "game physics" occurs and keeps the environment manageable.
It's immature right now -- and maybe it always will be -- but I can see the potential. It's not a bad way to meet up with others to collaborate or teach/learn.
Sun isn't the only company seeing v
Re: (Score:3, Funny)