Natural Progression?

Nah, you just need a noobdozer suffering from a bit of lag for that.

I wholeheartedly agree with Brenda. A 3D mall or other such direct recreation is a pointless exercise in combining the limitations of both worlds, rather than using the strengths. If I have the information at my fingertips, why would I want to simulate the limitations of my body needing to keep up?
I can certainly imagine some 3D visualization of such tasks, giving a better presentation of the information and options, but having to drag an *avatar* around with animations and real-world walking speed is nothing but dead weight.

The whole "physical embodiment" idea only really has any merit in social situations, and while some might argue that shopping can be a social event, I really don't think day-to-day grocery runs are the new 3D killer app.
It could, however, find some use for rare, expensive buys where you need to take your time, view the options and discuss them. Looking for a house could be such an example, with the virtual recreation being one of the sources of information about the product.

ETA: Physical embodiment could also find some use in certain training situations, but I've yet to see an example which really convinces me.

I will attach myself to this. I agree with it.

I think a lot of the appeal of doing stuff in a 3D environment is just that. Because you can, how cool is that? But in the end, do you really need to.? Or does it make it easier or better? A lot of times, I don't think so.

I was having a discussion about this with a friend of mine.

he said that this sort of growth is pretty close to how the internet developed. First it was a few people who understood the technology and built the tiny, tiny version. Nobody even knew about it, let alone thought it could be a useful tool.

Then it got widespread enough that the geeks showed an interest. Nobody but geeks were really interested in it, and nobody saw any business potential in it. 'Regular' people weren't involved because there was nothing for them there.

Then it started becoming more of a resource that regular people were interested in - and suddenly there was stuff there that interested the non-geeks.

Then the corporations realised that there was earning potential there and thus arose the internet mega-corporations.

Then came Skynet..

Ooops, wrong story there.

Right now I think we're late in the transition between the geeks and the regular people. It's only natural that the makers would be looking to "where next"? and trying out some stuff.

Is there still a place for the geeks on the internet of today? Sure. But if those geeks way back had been told what the internet would become, they wouldn't have believed it....

Porky is correct, imo. In fact he chose 2 examples that I've put forward before. The naysayers just seem to be short-sighted. It's not really a matter of what *I* would like - how *I* would like to shop. It's a matter of what companies will do in the future, and I can't see any other future than what Porky said.

Still, if a supermarket forces you to run 400 meter parkour before you're allowed to buy a cucumber, they *will* lose sales, no matter how flashy parkour looks.
For common tasks with no lifestyle signal value attached, ease of use wins. It's only when you need to be seen in the right shop, i.e. when you add the social aspect, that the embodiment matters.

This wont be a problem. there wont be any problems. little search engine appears as you enter a store, type 'cucumber' and hit the TP button. You and your virtual shopping basket then arive in the fruit and veg dept. The world we live in is full of people that dont have time to go to supermarkets, dont want to battle with other shoppers for space and mad woman with wonkey trolleys and then walk 5 miles to the far side of the car to unload your shopping.

Thats why they invented online shopping.

In your 3D virtual supermarket everything will be simple and user friendly maximum efficiency in the minimal amount of time. Of course due to the interactive features of every product the more careful and casual shopper can spend hours learning about products and healthy diet and how to make baked Alaska. This supermarket will have been developed by companies like Walmart and Tesco. There will be more than enough money thrown at it to ensure all problems are eliminated and that all virtual shopping tastes are catered for.

I've no idea what a parkour is, but I don't envisage the type of checkout that we have in supermarkets. Right now there are small firms catering for the 3-D needs of other small firms and companies. It's happening even now, and it will grow.

I don't envisage serious attempts by RL companies at doing business inside SL though but, then, SL isn't the aim of LL, to the best of my knowledge.

Interesting point.
I wonder what constitutes the "right" ones. My partner and I have spent a small fortune of real dollars supporting the arts in sl, building on land and creating homes to display a collection of over 500 artworks. Apart from a few griefers, I have never met anyone who is "wrong" for sl - its a bit like discriminating about who should use a website or even a cellphone or any access to something. I'll stay in THIS sl as long as I can, then pack it in if it shut sdown and they ship us out. I enjoy this world even with its faults. Its earthy and crude at times BUT its a living community.

They mean porn hounds and gamblers. They wanted something Disney, something that would inspire the mainstream middle-classes of the world, in short meaningless, vanilla entertainment. Art efficianatos like yourself are thinkers. You're just as bad as the lonely, poor men, lusting after avatars with big... pixels, at least in desirable demographics.

a lot of what you say makes sense..although i don't think too many poor people are even using the net let alone can afford it..now broke or cheap and looking for a get rich quick or free ride, thats a different story.

i just don't think poor people are in the figures when it comes to people who are going to be in virtual worlds..i think what was drawn here is the public that uses the net..
to me it was being unaware of how the net works and who was using it on their part..
if you open up and say this is free you are going to get all kinds that will try it..
this is why there is an 80% turn around and leave rate with people that start accounts in SL.

a lot of free accounts just don't feel they want to spend so they will go basic at most.but at first most don't really know what SL has to offer..
i think you have three types of people and i am mainly talking majority that start out in SL..
you have the ones drawn here wanting to make money like most people that answer those scam email get rich quick scams
you have the ones drawn here that come to cybor in many ways.
and you have the ones drawn here to actually use a virtual world
this is the type of flood you will get when you open up the flood gates on the net..

i would more than expect that a lot of those people without money in SL were under aged geeks without a job or someone thinking it's silly to spend money on a game as the majority when they start out.

wow i can join for free and make money? what do i have to lose but time and i have tons of that lol

people that know SL and understand it..thats a whole other reason and most of them are from other VW's or have been here for a while..