Working with arduino boards in class we set up interfaces that responded to sounds. By definition interfaces are social because they involve two or more people coming together. Interfaces have qualities such as control (authorship and how much control the audience can have); parameterization (the rules and constraints of control); feedback (as you engage something happens); and repeatability (things happen repeatedly to allow you to figure out the control/parameters and feedback). I learned about an amazing pioneer during Steve Daniels' lecture this week, Alan Turing and found a dynamic tribute to him on YouTube.
We ventured into Second Life and my introduction was fairly smooth except that I could never understand why naked women kept coming up to me -- however the longer I spent in Second Life and the more I designed my avatar Gia Parx the less this happened. It might have had something to do with looking "new" when I entered. This virtual environment has two million users and grows by about twenty thousand users a month. It takes practice to get around, change appearance, find places, pick up objects and such. It was fun to encounter people, ask if they wanted to become friends, get rejected and get accepted. My favorite was flying around, something I wish I could do in this life. People are building communities in Second Life and making money there. I am still trying to find my way around. Can you get robbed in Second Life? Is it crime free? Apparently not!
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