Victoria Gets A Virtual Second Life
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Media release - 5 October 2007
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The Brumby Government is the first government in Australia to test online virtual worlds as a communication platform, with Information and Communication Technology Minister Theo Theophanous launching a research project in the popular virtual world, Second Life.
Mr Theophanous said Melbourne Laneways – an active research project into virtual worlds – is keeping Victorians ahead of the game in online developments that are paving the future for businesses and individual interaction.
“We have established a ‘presence’ in Second Life as part of a research project investigating how virtual worlds work and their potential impact on the economic and social lives of Victorians,” Mr Theophanous said.
“With experts suggesting that virtual worlds are now at the development point that the internet was at in the early 1990s, it is clearly an opportune time for Victoria to dip its toe in the virtual water.
“Early involvement in virtual worlds is helping us develop a greater understanding of the possibilities, limitations and opportunities of this new medium.
“The Brumby Government is committed to ensuring Victoria won’t be left behind. We are monitoring all new media platforms to ensure Victoria remains a technologically advanced state and is best positioned to make the most of these rapidly developing worlds.
“The Brumby Government has a key interest in promoting early adoption of new Internet-based collaborative and interactive applications, and in using demonstration projects to accelerate the development of private sector capability and competitiveness in this area.”
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Melbourne Laneways captures the quintessential characteristics of Melbourne, such as cafes in hidden laneways and Federation Square.
Currently located on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s well-established Second Life presence “ABC Island”, Melbourne Laneways will feature a range of interactive events and activities over the next three months.
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Melbourne Laneways on ABC Island was launched “in-world” on Thursday October 4.
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Second Life is a 3D virtual environment created by US-based Linden Lab in 2003. Within the computer-rendered world, ‘residents’ can explore a territory larger than 65,000 acres in real-world scale.
It is not a game as there is no scripted or objective play. Rather, it is a world where users can create their own identity (known as an ‘avatar’) and interact with others in a lifelike social space.
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News archive 2007
