Modeling Reality with Virtual Worlds

A virtual world is an interactive simulated environment accessed by multiple users through an online interface. There are many different types of virtual worlds and can be used for many reasons. There is Shared Space, this world allows many users to participate at once. There is also the Socialization/Community, these worlds allow and encourage the formation of in-world social groups like teams, guilds, clubs, cliques, housemates, neighborhoods. Virtual can be use for commerical gaming, education, business use, military use, ect. Virtual worlds pros is that its more personal than electronic mail or instant messaging, or even a letter or a telephone call. It's a great social leveler, it may find a common ground across differences in age, culture, and linguistic orientation. Some Cons of virtual worlds include an inescapable aspect of social life and the formation/maintenance of interpersonal relationships. Also, Virtual worlds can give opportunities to criminals who want to take advantage of people, like sex offenders ect. Virtual worlds definitely foster creativity becuase they allow users to be and act whatever way they want to, in ways that they would not necessarily be able to. As these technologies develop further over the next several years, virtual worlds will be used for all types of purposes and I believe people will begin spending more time in those worlds, especially for work. They will probably be extremly more sophisticated and real. An article written by Dave Itzkoff in the NyTimes televison section, explains th story of a man you who rather visit a virtual lower East Side club on Vles.com, an virtual website, than to actaully get out side his apartment and walk a few blocks the real-life club. People find these virtual more convenient and surprisingly more real. Another article published by CNN.comand written by Mark tutton, tells the story of how virtual community Second life is trying to help companies find innovative ways of bringing employees together while saving money by "creating a tool that allows businesses to have virtual meetings on their own computers". It will let employees avatars meet in virtual worlds.