World Internet Project meeting

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Second Life on the agenda at World Internet Project meeting

The online virtual world Second Life is attracting significant interest from business and service industry sectors throughout the world according to Mandy Salomon, Senior Researcher at the Smart Internet Cooperative Research Centre at Swinburne.

“Big name brands such as IBM, Dell, ING, Telstra, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation have entered this immersive environment,” she said.

“This virtual world is emerging as a test bed for new ideas, where real world prototypes can be released at low cost, with direct feedback from users significantly enriching the design process and leading to innovative or unexpected results.

“The process is enhanced by the nature of its residents who, typically, are techno-savvy, playful and demonstrate a high receptivity to new ideas.”

Ms Salomon will discuss doing business in Second Life at the first meeting in Australia of international researchers involved in the World Internet Project from 10-12 July, which examines the cultural, political and social impact of the Internet .

She will look at the local Australian scene and indicate key opportunities and threats for businesses to consider.

The World Internet project is a continuing, comparative study of Net uptake and use around the world, involving universities in 28 countries.

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