Comments on: Second Life exhibit based on my book! http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/05/second-life-exhibit-based-on-my-book/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 18:23:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Mythdraug http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/05/second-life-exhibit-based-on-my-book/comment-page-1/#comment-139432 Mythdraug Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:51:28 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/05/second-life-exhibit-based-on-my-book/#comment-139432 Speaking of "based on your book". Quirks & Quarks from Saturday... http://www.cbc.ca/quirks/archives/08-09/qq-2008-12-06.html Speaking of “based on your book”.

Quirks & Quarks from Saturday…
http://www.cbc.ca/quirks/archives/08-09/qq-2008-12-06.html

]]> By: Eric http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/05/second-life-exhibit-based-on-my-book/comment-page-1/#comment-139387 Eric Mon, 08 Dec 2008 00:44:16 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/05/second-life-exhibit-based-on-my-book/#comment-139387 I think congratulations are in order to the Elon students for putting on a great presentation. Seems to me they really did put a lot of work into it. I disagree with those that think Second Life is to "geeky", sites like this have lots of potential simply as a learning center. I balanced my first egg. It was so cool. I think congratulations are in order to the Elon students for putting on a great presentation. Seems to me they really did put a lot of work into it. I disagree with those that think Second Life is to “geeky”, sites like this have lots of potential simply as a learning center.

I balanced my first egg. It was so cool.

]]> By: sophia8 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/05/second-life-exhibit-based-on-my-book/comment-page-1/#comment-139328 sophia8 Sun, 07 Dec 2008 13:18:20 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/05/second-life-exhibit-based-on-my-book/#comment-139328 Most times I go there, it's deserted. And the emphasis on shopping, clubbing and ****ing in many areas is thoroughly dispiritng. But there's a heck of a lot going on there, if you look. Forex, I have accidentally stumbled on a beautiful buddhist temple, where I could "sit" and read Zen texts, or just admire the wonderfully-rendered sylvan surroundings. And flying around and exploring the world is good fun for me. Also, it's a good place to meet up in cyberspace - lots of organisations use it for cyberconferencing - once or twice I've found myself in the middle of one. Most times I go there, it’s deserted. And the emphasis on shopping, clubbing and ****ing in many areas is thoroughly dispiritng.
But there’s a heck of a lot going on there, if you look. Forex, I have accidentally stumbled on a beautiful buddhist temple, where I could “sit” and read Zen texts, or just admire the wonderfully-rendered sylvan surroundings. And flying around and exploring the world is good fun for me.
Also, it’s a good place to meet up in cyberspace – lots of organisations use it for cyberconferencing – once or twice I’ve found myself in the middle of one.

]]> By: Matthew Ota http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/05/second-life-exhibit-based-on-my-book/comment-page-1/#comment-139299 Matthew Ota Sun, 07 Dec 2008 06:56:17 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/05/second-life-exhibit-based-on-my-book/#comment-139299 I looked into Second Life when it was started. It struck me as an extreme form of escapism for people whose real lives are so miserable and vacant that they had to create a better one online. So I immediately dubbed it "Get a Life" instead of "Second Life" Needless to say I am not a participant.... I looked into Second Life when it was started. It struck me as an extreme form of escapism for people whose real lives are so miserable and vacant that they had to create a better one online.

So I immediately dubbed it “Get a Life” instead of “Second Life”

Needless to say I am not a participant….

]]> By: Ian O'Neill http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/05/second-life-exhibit-based-on-my-book/comment-page-1/#comment-139287 Ian O'Neill Sun, 07 Dec 2008 04:09:48 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/05/second-life-exhibit-based-on-my-book/#comment-139287 I had a look at the exhibit and it was superb! I'd really love to learn how to create my own little place in SL, but I suspect I will slip into that deep SL black hole of time... Kudos to the Elon guys, they did a great job. However that was the end of my constructive afternoon. I got side-tracked, found a model Moon and teleported to the Apollo 11 landing site where I ended up chatting to a guy with devil wings and hooves. Didn't end well as I wanted to see if I could fly off... I hit "Page Up" a few too many times and drifted off the map. SL only knows where I ended up, but I'd like to think that is what a singularity looks like. I logged back on and found the nearest SL bar, had a beer and a virtual cigarette. Somehow I felt better, but I have no idea why... I had a look at the exhibit and it was superb! I’d really love to learn how to create my own little place in SL, but I suspect I will slip into that deep SL black hole of time… Kudos to the Elon guys, they did a great job.

However that was the end of my constructive afternoon. I got side-tracked, found a model Moon and teleported to the Apollo 11 landing site where I ended up chatting to a guy with devil wings and hooves. Didn’t end well as I wanted to see if I could fly off… I hit “Page Up” a few too many times and drifted off the map. SL only knows where I ended up, but I’d like to think that is what a singularity looks like.

I logged back on and found the nearest SL bar, had a beer and a virtual cigarette. Somehow I felt better, but I have no idea why…

]]> By: Naked Bunny with a Whip http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/05/second-life-exhibit-based-on-my-book/comment-page-1/#comment-139254 Naked Bunny with a Whip Sat, 06 Dec 2008 22:11:01 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/05/second-life-exhibit-based-on-my-book/#comment-139254 <i>Which is odd since I am quite an MMO player and all.</i> SL isn't really a MMORPG, it's more of a very graphical chat client. It appeals more to people who spend hours on IRC than on WoW. <i>Didn’t know that Phil was a furry. =)</i> Sadly, he's not, at least not in SL. He'd be even hotter if he were. ^^ Which is odd since I am quite an MMO player and all.

SL isn’t really a MMORPG, it’s more of a very graphical chat client. It appeals more to people who spend hours on IRC than on WoW.

Didn’t know that Phil was a furry. =)

Sadly, he’s not, at least not in SL. He’d be even hotter if he were. ^^

]]> By: Eric http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/05/second-life-exhibit-based-on-my-book/comment-page-1/#comment-139247 Eric Sat, 06 Dec 2008 21:22:44 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/05/second-life-exhibit-based-on-my-book/#comment-139247 That place is big. Lots of great information there it appears, though it may take some time to explore it all. Got a kick out of the Creationist models of Earth. The CoLab was cool as well. Elon is definately worth a visit. That place is big. Lots of great information there it appears, though it may take some time to explore it all. Got a kick out of the Creationist models of Earth. The CoLab was cool as well. Elon is definately worth a visit.

]]> By: BethK http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/05/second-life-exhibit-based-on-my-book/comment-page-1/#comment-139231 BethK Sat, 06 Dec 2008 17:59:50 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/05/second-life-exhibit-based-on-my-book/#comment-139231 There are a lot of cool shapes there. I had to google Fibonacci Pinecone and have my 15yo daughter explain it. I forgot that I had picked up DaVinci code for her, and she had just read about it. She wishes she had understood the Golden Ratio a few weeks ago. I tried to sit on the Earth on the moon phase example as suggested by the description, but that didn't quite work as expected. But it's an interesting display. For flying, click the Fly button and then use Page up/down to get up and down. Arrow buttons move you around. It's much faster than walking. There are a lot of cool shapes there. I had to google Fibonacci Pinecone and have my 15yo daughter explain it. I forgot that I had picked up DaVinci code for her, and she had just read about it. She wishes she had understood the Golden Ratio a few weeks ago.

I tried to sit on the Earth on the moon phase example as suggested by the description, but that didn’t quite work as expected. But it’s an interesting display.

For flying, click the Fly button and then use Page up/down to get up and down. Arrow buttons move you around. It’s much faster than walking.

]]> By: Tommy http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/05/second-life-exhibit-based-on-my-book/comment-page-1/#comment-139228 Tommy Sat, 06 Dec 2008 17:28:56 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/05/second-life-exhibit-based-on-my-book/#comment-139228 Didn't know that Phil was a furry. =) Didn’t know that Phil was a furry. =)

]]> By: LarianLeQuella http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/05/second-life-exhibit-based-on-my-book/comment-page-1/#comment-139227 LarianLeQuella Sat, 06 Dec 2008 17:25:56 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/05/second-life-exhibit-based-on-my-book/#comment-139227 I never could get into SL... Which is odd since I am quite an MMO player and all. (DAoC and WAR here!) I never could get into SL… Which is odd since I am quite an MMO player and all. (DAoC and WAR here!)

]]> By: Lab Lemming http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/05/second-life-exhibit-based-on-my-book/comment-page-1/#comment-139121 Lab Lemming Sat, 06 Dec 2008 03:20:01 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/05/second-life-exhibit-based-on-my-book/#comment-139121 Isn't that a Second DEATH exhibit? Isn’t that a Second DEATH exhibit?

]]> By: Harold http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/05/second-life-exhibit-based-on-my-book/comment-page-1/#comment-139119 Harold Sat, 06 Dec 2008 02:52:03 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/05/second-life-exhibit-based-on-my-book/#comment-139119 I hope they do something based on <i>Death From the Skies!</i> Different scenarios for wiping out all life in Second Life! I hope they do something based on Death From the Skies! Different scenarios for wiping out all life in Second Life!

]]> By: Michael L http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/05/second-life-exhibit-based-on-my-book/comment-page-1/#comment-139109 Michael L Sat, 06 Dec 2008 01:00:53 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/12/05/second-life-exhibit-based-on-my-book/#comment-139109 LOL, I tried SL when you did your interview, and just kept flying around... I couldn't figure it out if my life depended on it. LOL, I tried SL when you did your interview, and just kept flying around… I couldn’t figure it out if my life depended on it.

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