Voice awareness for non-voice users

Of course you can get to know people through text.

I guess because I have gotten to know so many people via IRC who I then met, I've had the "aha your voice, your face" experience. When you have met someone rl then chat online it's totally different.

The voice part of that definitely is the case for me here too. The face part I am less interested in unless - frankly - I intend to see that face in the flesh for reals and everything.

That is mainly going to be people in the UK MAYBE and a very small selection of people in other countries - and guess what, same list of people I can't imagine not being able to talk to as if they were only down the road from me anyway.

The world is shrinking.

I have known people so well, just by text, that I could tell they were physically ill, with just a one word typed greeting.

Although you're pretty well practiced: I know there are quite a few people who feel physically ill when they see you.

*joke* *ducks*

Chris: Hello!
Tom: hellugh...

Although I understand your points, and I think there is definitely a degree of truth in it...but I don't think 'You do get very close.' , like you said...I think you may THINK you're hearing their voice, but what you're doing is inventing your own inner character...there is probably more of you in this 'text voice' you speak of. The person's actual voice is far more likely to tell you about the person...not just their voice, but everything they say and how they say it. There are a billion more elements about a persons spoken voice that carry emotion, meaning, truth, lie, intent, and all the other endless emotions a human experiences.

I do understand that one could be trained to better understand subtle text inflections or meanings...but it could never be anywhere near what a verbal communication can produce.

All true. However, at least for me, what I learn from someone in the text based format is sufficient for my level of interaction and immersiveness in SL. If there ever comes a need to delve deeper into their soul, I can do so in other ways. It's just an available tool of the program. nothing more, nothing less.

But Michael that's the point. For some people, the idealised version in their mind is all they want or need. I agree with you to a point, and only for certain people, that intonation carries so much weight and breathes life into things. Not everyone wants that of course.

In many people's cases, I don't want that either.

I have to admit I am surprised at the passion some folks have regarding whether they communicate in SL by speaking or typing .

Perhaps there is a generational component to this as well. My kids would just as soon text as they would speak to communicate. At least with me !

Another aspect of this um, debate is the ability to spell correctly. And I'm not talking about typos - everybody makes those and they are generally easy to identify as such. But I have met a few people in SL who speak fairly eloquently, but who spell atrociously. I sometimes find that my perception of someone changes a little based on their written grammar and spelling. We certainly form opinions about people based on the way they speak - that's been known since, well, humans started speaking . It hadn't really occurred to me that a similar thing happens with text chat.

(Hope there aren't too many spelling mistakes in this post ).



Oh sorry for the miscommunication. I don't have a mic issue, my microphone works fine. The (my microphone won't work) comment was supposed to be an example of a technical problem that someone (else) might have as to why they don't use voice.

That probably would have been clearer if these were voice-only forums .

Doug

... and ... Aaaaagh!!!!

On a long enough time line, everyone reveals themselves, regardless of their method of communication. Actions do speak louder than words.

That's all I had to add.

Perish the thought! LOL ... at least there's no mic issue to advise on (my system simply would NOT work for ages and still won't run skype!

Most ridiculous things you've read here...lol...hyperbole much?

I don't mean accent, or dialect. When I say 'ghetto pimp' you know exactly what I mean...don't try and play confused please. I'm not judging someone because the sound like they are from Boston...but if the Boston person sounded like a hardcore Guido, you can usually deduce a few things about who that person is. Stereotypes didn't come from the nowhere...they exist, because a lot of the times, they are accurate. As an actor, we are taught in great lengths about these very things...the way someone talks, forms sentences, word choices, tempo, inflection, and style have much to do with who that person is...who they really are.

Of course text and the written word can showcase who someone is...but nothing compares to speaking with someone, and hearing what they have to say on the fly...improvisation and freeflow give a fantastic glimpse into how a person 'works.'

That's all I'm saying. If you think that is the most ridiculous thing you've ever heard...I don't suggest you read any Michael Chekhov or Stanislavski...heck, there are a lot of philosophers and performers you might find ridiculous.



Cheers.

Good point 2K...and is partially what I was saying. It's absolutely true...don't let anyone tell you it's irrelevant to the situation...it's completely relevant.

OK...some of you are being the Devil's advocate, clearly.

You can 'get to know people'...obviously...but you don't truly know whether they are who they write who they are. A perfect example are all the failed-hookups or rapes from internet meetings...when people finally meet in person, they are like, 'OMG...you're Yiddish and have a drinking problem which leads to a raised voice when you're frustrated!' This is a humorous example, but do you see my point?

It's a lot easier to get away with a different persona when using merely text. With voice, however, it's harder to lie about who you are...what your personality is...what your parents instilled in you...what kind of environment you were raised in.

Whether you guys want to pussy-foot around stereotypes, that's fine. But the fact of the matter is...you'll NEVER find a rocket scientist that talks like Easy E...and you never know, you might be talking to someone on SL right now that puts words perfectly to paper...and expresses themselves well...but if you were to hear them talk, you'd know a LOT more about them, and what their 'jig' is.

I'm not being discriminatory at all, I'm simply debating the power of voice, and the potential exacting replies of the written word...

Example: When someone types, "I love you", it no where near compares to hearing it said in voice...the fact is, it can be said hundreds of different ways...but only one way in the written word.

Nonsense. Getting to know somebody by text has a long history that predates the internet by centuries.

How do you know your favorite authors? Writers put a lot of themselves into their work. I know a lot about many people I'll never meet, from what they've written.

Lifelong romances have bloomed in correspondence.

Want some more recent examples? How about the SL residents who met, fell in love, and eventually got married in RL...most of those cases pre-date voice.

Beautifully said Lu!

LOL...ummm, sorry to cry wolf, but I think this is just a touch over-exaggerated. You might be telling the truth if the conversation went like this:


YOU: Hey how are you doing today?

Them: Sick...

Sure you can get to know certain aspects of a persons mood by their written choices...no one is saying this isn't the case--what some of us are saying is, that voice is MUCH more telling than with text...you can break out your Little Orphan Anne Decoder Ring as often as you like when you read other peoples' posts...but the fact is, if you heard me SAY it...you'd understand much more clearly where I'm coming from.

If you're not going to use the mic, there's no need to use a headset with voice. Just use your computer speakers, and let your ears breathe.

[EDIT: What I mean is, enable voice so that you can see and hear who's using it. They'll see your dot too, so they know you can hear them. Continue to type text to them, however.]

Yes, but do you know how many of those 'loves' from SL, MS, Match, etc have failed? A lot more than the average 'meet-in-person' examples. There are endless examples of people meeting online via text that have met, and 'the person was nothing like who I thought they were.' It happens all the time. Much more than traditional courting and dating.

What does that tell you? Well, it should tell you that getting to know someone via text alone isn't something you should sell the farm on. Many times people finally pick up the phone, and realize, 'this person is nothing like who they write like'...and the sad truth is...which person are you going to be friends with longer? The AV? Or the person? If you don't mind completely separating the AV from the human...that's fine.

And about Authors...this isn't completely accurate. You can't always tell who a person is by their stories and written word. Can you tell that Steven King is an 'asshole' by his writing? Can you tell how many kids he has? Can you tell whether he has a legitimate fear of Clowns? Can you tell whether he cringes at the sight of death? Can you tell his voice shutters when he says the words, 'I love you.' No you can't tell those things...but you can devise those things much easier if you actually talked to him.

Anyway.

All we are saying is, yes, you can get to 'know someone' via text...but you're not TRULY getting to know them. Hearing someones voice and speech patterns are much more telling of a personality than their written style and choices. If you don't think this is accurate, me thinks this is a stalemate.

Look at it this way also...many of you think I'm arrogant and pompous by my written choices and ideals...but if you talked to me, you'd realize in 5 minutes that you are completely wrong. Now if THAT doesn't illustrate my point, I don't know what does.

I love you all by the way. Cheers.

Not really Michael, saying it as it is. If you look at my post above Sally's you quoted I give a definitive history. I got to know those people through text only. I decided we were good friends, driving me to the next stage of actually meeting them. I admit the first time I heard Morgaine on the phone I thought "Wow!" So yes, a lot of what you say is true .... but text does work. Only one way to type 'I love you' maybe but be fair ... ILY ... xxx .. *hugs* .. and our own private language .. they are all 'I love you'.

And if I'm secretly carrying on an IM or chat with someone else? .. the pauses and timing is a dead giveaway. The speed at which I come back with something can be more destructive than a delay.

They both work.

This is very true. People can say one thing and turn round and do another in text. In voice, someone lying to you is LYING to you directly, not once removed through distancing themselves from the person both you and they are via the technology.

"I love you" can be expressed in many ways Michael. Written, by actions or spoken. Or SUNG ... or a piece of music, a piece of art, five prims smashed into a mess worthy of the pride a five year old presents a lump of clay cos "I made this!".

And love takes many forms.

That having been said, nothing beats hearing those words unless of course the breath that speaks them does so just as closely into your ear ... but without the need for technology.

Fine, but then they should say that instead of making reply choices that clearly are meant to rouse or advocate...

If what they WANT is a more sterile, safe, imaginary relationship...that's their call. But telling the forum over and over that they think text holds just as much information about a person as their spoken voice...that's inaccurate to say the least.

Obviously not much of a romantic.

At least when it comes to writing feelings down.


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Michael I think I get what you are trying to say. The problem is much of it sounds like grandstanding.

Of course you get to know a different side of someone through voice than text.

You get to know yet another aspect in-person than you do over voice.

Thats why many online to RL relationships do not survive the transition of text->voice->cam->in-person.

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If that is what people want then voice is great.

While I don't know how much VOIP is better than the old Voice chat and the telephone (probably none for the getting to know you stuff) ---------

Those facts haven't changed in the 10+ years people have been meeting over the net. Certainly not just because SL decided to add voice.

OK, there is one more thing I want to add.

I take everyone in SL at face value. I expect nothing more than what they wish to present to me. I honestly don't care about an avatar's RL specifics. If someone wishes to disclose personal information to me, that's fine, but I form my reactions based on their avatar.

If someone wishes to be a rowdy merc, or a cute bunny, or sexy neko, or escort, or a teacher, then so be it. That's who they are to me. Once engaged in conversation (text or voice), I might learn that the rowdy merc likes ballroom dancing and is quite a conversationalist about all things SL land related.

All these things are what make SL so utterly engaging for me. People are what they choose to present. And as I mentioned above, someone's actions and reactions in SL will be the most telling and can be discerned on a long enough time line (if someone really cares to).