VirtualReality photos on Flickr

My current reading matter - a nostalgic look back at the halcyon days of 1992, sitting on a 1999 ThinkPad. I have the impression that, back then, it was assumed that the internet we have now - primarily text, text and pictures, some video - would be a very short-lived transitory step towards the *real* future of cyberspace, but of course it didn't turn out that way.

It's surprisingly acidic. The author essentially dismisses the VR "boom" in the first chapter, arguing that it was a lot of hype put out by a clique of self-congratulatory, occasionally well-meaning, but generally untrustworthy hucksters. The rest of the book veers off into a wide-ranging collection of essays on the more esoteric elements of 1990s-era internet futurism - hypertext, artificial intelligence, reality. He generally avoids talking about the technology. Hypertext would lead to the death of the author, because you could make your own media, and I suppose in a way this has happened. Some of it is spot-on (I spotted Google News in there), some of it was never going to happen (Xanadu), some of it might have happened but didn't pan out (Storyspace).

As for the internet - or "Internet" - here it is. Page 125. The book's only paragraph about it. There's mention of smart television later on, which covers some of the same ground, but there you go. Again, it's not that the author wasn't aware of it, he had his mind on other things, and the network was just a means to an end. The book tends to concentrate on academic projects rather than practical real-world business opportunities, which is another thing that dates it.

Looking back it seems that the internet took off and became so ubiquitous so quickly that there was never a next generation of internet pontificators - the big pop-intellectual publishing phenomena of the late 1990s, 2000s were books about economics, advertising, culture etc; the internet itself became (perhaps rightly) merely a medium. The names in Virtual Worlds - Timothy Leary, Ted Nelson, Jaron Lanier, Nicholas Negroponte - are nowadays either dead or trapped in academia or yesterday's men or (in the case of Negroponte) they will live to see their dreams die; or we will live to see that their dreams were a sham.

Andrew Nakas by TEDxBozeman

Virtual Accelerating Reality

Virtual reality! by Eliot Phillips

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Portfolio-VB23a by Vanessa Blaylock

Vanessa Blaylock Company / portfolio of Performance Art works. 2009 - 2013.

Telecube_img0009 by Dave Pape

Smart Home Living Room by The uTRUSTit Project

Evl-wand by Dave Pape

Exploring a Virtual City by charles

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insurgent virtual reality 3 by Mark Rifkin twi-ny.com

Morgaàna La Fae (morgaana.gould) by Inspire SpacePark

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Inspire Space Park Resident & Friend

Session 7 Day 4 by Congressional Camp

"Let's chat." by Laraa Short

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Writing Prompt.

Someone, having given in to the temptations of the pretty lady with the VW bus, wakes to find himself in DEEP trouble.

(I've been informed that my assets are particularly distracting in this one. No idea why!)

Taken at Everwinter: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Elven%20Mist/242/122/26

Nails and smeared lipstick by Veechi

Jewelry by Hextraordinary

Top by Voluptas Virtualis

Hair by Tableau Vivant

Convocation: Jaron Lanier by Oberlin College

A Renaissance man for the 21st century, Jaron Lanier is a computer scientist, composer, visual artist, and author. The founder of VPL Research and a pioneer in the field of virtual reality, Lanier has led teams in creating technology for medicine, design, and numerous other fields.

Photo by John Seyfried.

Ancient Grove Oct. 19 by Laraa Short

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I'm participating in the Instagram art challenge "Once Upon a Haunted Forest," though I'm a tad late: www.instagram.com/p/CUDPfFHlr4k

A dark fae reads an incantation of healing in the Ancient Grove. Athelas springs to life at her side...

Taken at Milk Wood Writer's Colony: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Milk%20Wood/145/217/24

Session 7 Day 4 by Congressional Camp

Quest -Elven by Ron & Alenka Co

I attempted to video a section of the one game I have bought for the Oculus Quest - Elven Assassin - at least this way I can use my archery without harming my elbow bursitis :-)

Unfortunately I was out of frame for most of it plus the sound on the TV is about 5 seconds out of synch with the actual game play as I am seeing it in the headset. The graphics are much more impressive in the headset as it is 360 degree and much higher resolution than in this video which I further reduced to reduce load times.

A lot of the games i have looked at are just of no appeal but this is old school and I quite enjoy it. Plus I get to move more than when playing on the computer or iphone

The Mavka at Spirits Crossing 3 by Laraa Short

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This year, I have to unbelievable honor of presenting at Second Life's LitFest during Fantasy Faire 2023. My topic is Researching Mythology with a particular focus on Slavic mythology. If you like, you're welcome to join us on Sunday, April 30th at 3 p.m. PST in Fungalmire at The Stump Theater: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Fungalmire/95/66/62

I've chosen The Mavka as my character because even though my novel is primarily about vampires, those are a dime a dozen in SL and this is an opportunity to present a really unique look. I hope you enjoy!

The Second Life FantasyFaire is all to benefit Relay for Life, and I hope you'll join us there: fantasyfairesl.wordpress.com

Skin and spine by Antaya

Eyes by Izzie's

Veins by SAXO

Flower wreath by LODE

Hair by .doe.

Necklace by Maxi Gossamer

Gown by Silk Road (closed.)

Brollies Down, Sunglasses Up At London Town Summerfest! by Seraphim SL

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Brollies Down, Sunglasses Up At London Town Summerfest!

www.seraphimsl.com/2025/08/09/brollies-down-sunglasses-up...