Just Thinking…

I have been thinking about There, where it is, and it’s future. I have also been reading some stuff about a virtual world similar to There called Second Life. In fact, I am quite farmilar with Second Life on many levels. I was an active user of Second Life at one time until I ran into a lot of drama and decided to leave. In reality, I wasn’t too pleased with Second Life or the experience I had with it over all. But I suppose you are asking what this has to do with thinking about There’s future. Well, much more attention goes to Second Life then to There and I must admit that doesn’t please me too much.

All of this action is going on in Second Life and sometimes I wonder why it isn’t going on in There. I care about There very much and of course I want the best for it, but these kind of thoughts just come over me many times. There has amazing potential and I truly believe that There is the ultimate platform to build the Metaverse upon. But I don’t think it is perfect, in fact There is far from perfect. I just wonder if There is missing all of this attention because There doesn’t have much of what Second Life currently does. I’ll admit it, There is a bit more limited then Second Life. I don’t condone There’s limitations, far from that. In fact many times I have been on There’s forums asking for less limits and more tools.

I am very aware that There is in a state right now where they need to focus on bug fixes and making technical issues a thing of the past. But I want many things to be realized. I want Makena Technologies to take the original dream of There and to compare it with the current There. In my mind I don’t think they’d match but that is just me. Again, I only want the best for There and I think that is what all members of There want. But many members of There’s community have different opinions on There’s future, which I believe I have said before. Sometimes I don’t know. I simply think many mistakes have been made and would like There to fix them. Also, I would like Makena Technologies (There’s Owners) to understand many critical features are missing from their product.

I know other things have to be taken care of right now but I just want them to realize somethings. If There just got things like scripting and in-world object editing I think so many new doors would open. Of course There does have a very powerful content creation system in place right now but some things could be improved. Ok, prehaps many things could be improved. Feature additions tie in with There’s future, which is where much of There’s community is divided. Some people don’t see There as being a Metaverse but a hang-out, while others do see There as the ultimate platform for building and creating a Metaverse. I’m one who strongly believes in There’s potential and I always will think There has that potential.

I don’t complain on There’s forums any more but I do still complain in my head. One of these days I wish I could talk with Michael Wilson (Makena Technologie’s CEO) and give him a list of all problems I have with the product. Of course, he shouldn’t just listen to me but everyone. All ideas should be accepted by the company and community. The problem I often find with There’s forums is that they always make up exuses for why this or that can’t be done. Well truthfully, their exuses are often times bullshit. Now this isn’t the company I am talking about, this is the community I am talking about.

Being members of There should mean you embrace change and digital evolution, because we are all building and shaping the Metaverse. We all have an impact on There’s future, weather it be good or bad. I embrace improvment and change because that is what being dynamic is all about. And of course There is a dynamic and ever-evolving virtual world! I don’t think I am the only one who sees things this way. I actually know for a fact I am not. But wouldn’t it be wonderful if everyone would just agree on what There’s future should be? Then I think things would be a whole lot better and improvment/feature addition would go a whole lot smoother. But unfortunately, these are only my thoughts and suggestions. Too bad no one from Makena Technologies will be reading this…

Been Exploring… And Uploading!

Today I have been exploring some of my favorite places I have had in the past. Also, I have been taking alot of screen shots and I uploaded them to Flickr so my photo stream should be updated. If you scroll down and find the section “A Peak Inside There” then you’ll find the pictures I have taken so far. And yes, There is a picture of my amazingly hot avatar, JB!

One thing I noticed is how people are building around a lot of the original architecture that was built by There’s design tream. Much of what the design team did was very nice, but some of what members are building around it isn’t so nice. I enjoy looking at what members build but it isn’t right to litter and trash what has already been put inside There. Prehaps I should have a post dedicated to that subject, object littering in There! Well… I guess we’ll see.

How Much Really Has Changed?

I was driving around tonight in There and found that I actually got lost… Which basically never happens! I am an avid explorer and I know my way around There quite well but I suppose a lot has indeed changed. It is weird actually, I could swear much of the terrain has changed. Even big groups of trees are gone, but I would be lying if I said I knew where each tree in world should be. However, I can claim I know where many landmarks and neat builds are!

Everything Has Its Problems…

I do care about There and think it has amazing potential but I must admit There also has it’s fair share of problems. Things are improving and fixes are being made all the time but in many areas There lacks a lot of stuff. In too many areas There is limited and I don’t think a virtual world should have any limits at all. Many of There’s members view There different then I do and I have gotten into fights with them over There’s future. I view There as a canvas and There’s members are the painters/artistists, but I don’t think they should be limited when it comes to the digital world they inhabit.

There is built and created by it’s members and it just isn’t fair to limit those members. I suppose when it comes to what features to add or not to add there is great debate within  There’s community. Many people request giving the avatars the ability to hug, well I suggest There’s community ask for the ability to make avatar animations. That way hugs and MANY other things would be possible. Of course, many people view There and use it in different ways. There for of course There’s community will debate over what features should or shouldn’t be added. But quite frankly I think it is obvious what would help improve There and make it’s future brighter.

People may or may not disagree with me. But I have my opinions and they have their’s. But I think I have a pretty good idea of what There needs but i’m not saying I am the only right one. We all want the best for There and we all are in the same book, but prehaps on different chapters. Of course that is how one person did put it…

An Introduction

This is my first post on A Digital Journey and i’d like to tell you a little bit about myself and the site. First off, my name is Joel and I currently 29. Now i’m sure you are wondering what A Digital Journey is all about. Well, basically this site will be a personal journal of mine telling of my experiences and journey though a virtual world called There. I will talk about There’s news, certain things that happen in-world, and my opinions concerning various in-world happenings and news.

I’ve been a member of There since April of 2004 and I am very passionate about There. It is hard to describe what exactly There is because it is so many things to different people. For some There is a platform for creative self expression while to others There is just a hang-out to meet people and find friends. But truly the possibilities are endless and you are only limited by your imagination in There. So far it has been a wonderful experience and an amazing journey. Words just can’t describe the world of There because of its diversity and the creativity within There. If you are interested then I highly suggest you take a look, There is an amazing place.