Sympathy for the Devil

Well, this could be my finnisher. The last of many (17) blog entries on this site.
Could be, but maybe I'll be asked to do something more.

So, I guess I should do a bit of a round off here. I've actually really enjoyed this class. SL was fun, modelling (a bit) and scripting (well, programming) are what I've been doing for the last 4-5 years, and this was a quirky little platform where I could play with my skills (would said skills pay the bills? I hope so...). Blogging was enjoyable, and I always enjoy playing a little bit of the Devil's Advocate!

I wont pretend for a second that this blog doesn't contain my own opinions, but I will maintain that most of these feeling were not as strong as this blog will have made them sound (Am I Bovvered?).

Here's a round up of what I found to be interesting in this module (if I forget anything, then it probably wasn't that interesting... (they're only OPINIONS))

• Blogging - fun for writers, those who like to speak thier minds, and advertisers. For most purposes, a good forum will work better
  
• MUVEs - why bother if it's not a game? I see the popularity of it, tho. Quirky, and griefable
• MMOGs - AYE! I was always into this idea, even when the net was young. Need more free worlds tho.
• MUDs - Been there, lol!
• Griefing - Get a life. (extra life?) (second life?) Griefers suck, yes. But really, where's the harm? Take a chill pill, not like they're taking the food from your mouth.
• Real life jobs in second life - what? sorry, What? two words "Job Security". Get a life, again (would that be a third life?). I suppose that you make your money where you can, so good luck to you. Not for me tho.
• Online learning - I like the idea. I would like to see an increase in the online support of conventional courses. On the other hand, I like people, and I think that the theft of the university experience (those of you who stay on campus are getting the most out of this) is a bad thing, and will lead us away from nirvana, utopia or wherever we should be heading. Also, pick a path. otherwise youll get lost.
• Web 2.0 - well, well, well. Whoever thought that the web was now in only it's second incarnation had to be a nutter, but aside from that, whoever wanted to put thier private (copyrighted) writings on the net...
• Online religion - surprise surprise.
• youtube - funny. supposedly being closed down for copyright reasons. it's the internet, and my blog is copyrighted to me... Of course theres copyrighted material in it.
• majiti - now here's copyright issues. isn't this unlicenced reproduction and public performance...

OK, so there it is. you'll see that this list has very few complimentary things to say. that's just me, I did enjoy it. Keep up the good work Daniel. watch out for furries next year tho. ;-)

Running Commentary

I hate post-it notes.

I think that the little yellow sticky detracts from the aesthetic feeling of anything. 

The fact that the little yellow sticky might contain some pertinent information (such as the statement that "the decision to utilise elongated lexicon is entirely unnecessary") doesn't make that intrusion any less disgusting.

I really dont see a use for them.


Fridge magnets. They do have a use. Still, these can destroy my calm, roomy (yeah, right) kitchen space.

The size and shape of the magnets is not important. It is thier number and the wieght of paper that they hold up.

Some of you will understand the concept - especially those with siblings - of fridge space. (those who don't, see "the simpsons" when bart is going to be kept back a grade).

A fridge door is valuable real estate, and it is very limited.

Sure, there's room for layers, but who ever digs under the topsoil of fridge pictures/letters/memos. When it comes to fridge clearing time (an annual event, if you are doing it right) pictures that you had forgotten existed suddenly re-appear, taking on a new life, a new power.
Or in most cases, being filed under "B".


So, I guess you are reading this (well, you should be, cos there's gonna be a test :P) and asking yourself (and your yellow sticky covered monitor) what this has to do with monday's class.

Well, some of you will have figured it out. Well done!

The class centered around a video clip (not a very good one, granted, but...). This was created by someone who had, among other things, an aesthetic aim.
The dark screen, varying text size and colour, timing etc. was all done deliberately for the look, the FEEL of the thing.
Along comes Daniel (don't take it personally, but youre just an example), and he doesn't like it. He wants to STICK YELLOW BITS OF STICKY TO IT! The creator's vision is destroyed.

OK, so the comments weren't yellow, but they weren't a part of the original aesthetic. Commentary, yes. All over my creation, no.

My second point was the real estate point.
When Daniel is done putting his painting of a house up over my video, someone else comes along and puts up a shopping list, then a permission slip, a crayon picture of "Mum" and so on.

Where's my video, Mum? I can't see it on the fridge, Dad.

The comments have completely covered the video, and now there are people commenting on the comments. My creative masterpiece has become a mass of slightly irritated (irritating?) text.


Admittedly, it isn't all that bad.

You see my point though.

Capitalist Virtual Environments

Had fun during the last meeting discussing the collaborative merits of Second Life. Being members of the same group was not enough to make the collabotative building and scripting of objects easy. In fact, it was decided that it was easier to put a price on an object than to allow its modification by other group members. (this is perhaps a slight exaggeration, but objects made copyable and modifyable were not scriptable, and their contents not viewable by other group members.) We thought that, since the sale of objects is such a large part of second life (probably second only to the role-playing element, which is not of much interest to me) This made Second Life more of a Capitalist Virtual Environment that a Collaborative one.
It was suggested (in jest) that perhaps collaboration would be better served by a Communist Virtual Environment (Groucho Marx and John Lennon- that'll be the day) where everything is shared by everyone, and therefore copyable, modifyable, scriptable and (here comes that most obvious of downsides) deletable, griefable, thiefable.
What a debate- I'd love to be involved in a serious attempt, but the FBI have already warned me off  ;-p

On a more serious note, I'll do a real post later.

A working class hero is something to be, apparently.

Coats Memorial Pix

http://picasaweb.google.com/Davie.Farrell/AVitualEnvironmetalist?authkey=klxzV34DGaI

I don't know which one of these will work better.

This post is more of an assist to a teammate. Here you go Karsnik

A Vitual Environmetalist

Griefing is Culture

I don't really agree with the title, but it seems that Future Publishing's PC Gamer does. Theres a four page report in the april 2007 edition on imaginitive greifing!

Incidents described include walling players in with furniture (forever) in Ultima-online, Secon-Life's duplicating party hats (which shouted "terror will rain down upon the unfit gods and the flock that they govern, from now until the end of days") which crashed the ENTIRE GAME, and luring high level monsters into populated areas to rampage through crowds of unprepared players (training is the name for it apparently).

I hasten to add that there is no mention of the type of incidents that we read about this week, (although World of Warcraft priests can get an ability called "Mind Control" not dissimilar to the voodoo doll, although time limited. It seems that a bug allows "Mnd Control" over player's ghosts, which is not time limited.) and that most of the griefing described WAS pretty imaginative, and harmless (if a virtual knife to the head is ever harmless).

I wanted to point out this report for a couple of reasons: 

1. Online Worlds with greifer punishment systems (Archlord's Villain Points and Roma Victor's crucification of perpetrators)
2. Griefer's homepages (CLANS of griefer's)
   

Villain Points, btw, give increasing punishments as they are accumulated, from not being allowed to trade with players and causing guards to attack you, to XP loss and the inability to satrt fights (the point of online games).

here's the links

www.playtocrush.com

www.darkwolves.com

w-hat.com

Reposte/ Re-Post

A little calmer today. I realise now that yesterday's post was just a bit biased. Actually, the paper in question details a rather disgusting episode, which could be harmful to the mental health of the individuals it was purpotrated against. Yes, this kind of thing should be policed in some way, but not at the expense of the freedoms that the internet has provided. file sharing IS collborative, for instance. It is the original use of the internet, and (in the case of documents) has been the reason for science's huge leaps in recent years.

A cursory glance at some of the other blogs from my classmateshas brought to my attention another of the papers given out at the (missed) lecture. USA today's report "Faithful Build a Second Life for Religion Online". Here's a thing, religion is a major influence in life and society, the most basic laws came from religion, human burial and the proper disposal of the deceased (sorry, eloquence escapes me here) came from religion. No matter which religion you practice, or whether you are a devout atheist, religion effects YOUR life EVERY DAY. I might be bold in suggesting that the beginning of the separation between us and the animals was the beginning of religion. Is it so surprising that religion appears online?

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

I'm a bit religious, I confess. RC, actually, and it surprises me just how much the teachings of the various religions promote brotherhood.

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' " (Matthew 22: 36-39)

Teachings like these would surely help to put an end to the evils in the first part of this blog.

In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power. (Acts 19:20)

I've known people who were helped through hard times by the bible, God, and religion. I am a little opposed to the pushing of religion on people. Wars have been a major part of religious history, and they've been used for oppression on more than one occasion. It's not for everyone, and I won't force my beliefs on anyone, but here, for those who might want help, solace, advice or inspiration, is a link to a biblical database. The topical bible is best for these purposes (It's the same bible, just points you to passages appropriate to particular problems/ needs/ worries/ questions/ etc.

http://www.biblegateway.com/topical/

As-Salāmu ‘Alaykum wa-Raḥmatu l-Ḷāhi wa-Barakātuhu.
Peace be with you, and the mercy of Allah and His blessing.

Reality Bites!

So, I've been in the doldrums recently. The bad money management practiced by most students (if the stereotype is to be believed) has caught me, and the decimal points needed moving. Purse strings have been tightened, so I planned to make the half hour walk to uni today (at least the sun is out). I hadn't planned for some real-time greifing. The fact is that in the real world, crimes of opportunity are more than just a slight annoyance. My niece (who is really just my long term girlfriends niece, but lives downstairs, so it seems more like that type of relationship than "a freind of a friend's daughter") was out playing. Just a child, she left her (pink) nintendo ds lying around, and someone took it. I spent a good hour on the (cold) trail of two guys with a burgundy car. When I eventually left for uni (late again) the police hadn't arrived yet (they took statements about 2-3 hours after being phoned, but i guess it isn't something that warrants an immediate response). 
Anyway, this is definately off-topic. the point, I suppose, is that i missed the lecture. I am led to believe that it concerned extreme cases of "greifing".  My judgement somewhat clouded, I say that this is of little consequence in the grand scheme of things. There is never any point when my virtual property, my virtual identity and/or my virtual (second) life come close to comparison with my real life, job, property, identity. Having lived though high school, and not far from the bottom of the food chain, I can understand that bullying is menatlly scarring, and that little things can disrupt our overall mood for long periods of time, and having scanned a little of the "A Rape in Cyberspace" paper, I agree that punishment should be a consequence of these actions, but real crime is still more of a problem than words/pictures on a screen will EVER be. Bad news, yes. In the long run, though, what's been lost?

Before you post a comment, realise that I'm just a little irritated at the moment, and there will probably be a re-count in the next post.
I promise not to read the comments 'til I've washed this red paint off of my eyes.

Just in case you wondered, Rachel (6) is ok. She's made of sterner stuff. Thank god.