Does Anyone Actually Use VoiceChat?

I'm in a 12 step program in SL (as I am in RL). There has been great discussion about the fact the group shows up on peoples profiles (not an issue with the newest version apparently). Some liked having it there because they would get others to ask about it and may seek help they needed. They felt that SL provided all the anonymity they needed and were therefore holding true to the traditions of the group.

Others disagreed. They believed very strongly in anonymity and were not comfortable having the group on their profile despite no one would know who they were in RL.

In the end, I guess this is one of those great "it depends on the person" debates.

I always have voice activated but rarely do I use it and rarely do I run in to other people using it. occasionally I will get some stranger trying to invite me to conference, I usually just ignore those, mainly only use voice for conferences with friends.

I really enjoy using it among friends, it sure does make things more interesting and easier, especially when you are multi tasking, which I often do.

English.

YAY very wise, Marin hon. Glad my experiences have helped someone at least. I still think it's not so much using voice that's a problem there so much as when someone wants you in voice ALL the time.

Hullo Michael, I think getting the Greek letters is a bit of a neat trick, but there's no reason to go into etymology. I assure you my definition of anonymity is fair standard. I don't care for people in SL to know who I am in RL unless I specifically tell them (very, very few are on that list, btw).

I don't care to give the specifics for obvious reasons, but my voice would be recognizable enough. I wouldn't call myself famous, but I am frequently in situations where I address large groups of people. Possibly more importantly, it FEELS less anonymous to me. Remember, this is about my preferences, not yours.

Getting a lot of parinoid guys lately. Here is a chat snipplet (name removed) I just had a few mins ago. I get a lot of guys trying to get me to voice verify myself. Not sure why as I have zero intention of having any kind of virtual sex with them and have made it clear I do not want to.

Well you know how it is ..

Women who don't voice .. must be men
Women who DO voice .. but don't sound within a narrow band .. must be men.
Women who wont give out their Phone number .. must be men.
Women who don't shop enough .. must be men.
Women who shop too much .. must be men.
Women who's avatars are dressed to "slutty" .. must be men.
Women who's avatars are not dressed "sexy" enough .. must be men.
Women who's avatar has too big boobs .. must be men.
Women who's avatar has too small boobs .. must be men.
Women who wont cyber .. must be men.
Women who do cyber .. must be men.
Women who climax too quickly during cyber .. must be men.
Women who dont climax quickly enough .. must be men.
Women who are escorts .. must be men
Women who are NOT escorts .. must be men.
Women who play MMOs other than Second Life .. must be men
Women who dont play other MMO's .. must be men.
Women who date women .. must be men.
Women who wont date women .. must be men.
Women who date men .. must be men.
Women who wont date men .. must be men.
Women who are slaves/subbies .. must be men.
Women who are Mistresses .. must be men.
Women who are not into BDSM .. must be men.
Women who argue with men .. must be men.
Women who wont argue with men .. must be men.
Women who are too bitchy .. must be men.
Women who are not bitchy enough .. must be men.
Women who get mad they are accused of being men .. must be men.
Women who DONT get mad they are accused of being men .. must be men.
Women who don't know any other SL players IRL.. must be men.
Women who DO know other SL players IRL.. must be men.
Women who wont respond to threads like this .. must be men.
Women who do respond to threads like this .. must be men.


Before you think I am joking ..

I have heard every single one of those rationalizations over the years.

Basically Online things are all about projection.

Some Men are so obsessed with their penis they project one on everyone they meet here until proven otherwise.

All the stereotypes and paranoia they come up with are just a manifestation of that.


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The bottom line is if a bunch of MEN hadn't pretended to be women and got into online relationships this stereotype wouldn't exist. Probably many of them are the same guys paranoid they will end up cybering with another guy.

Maybe why there are so many "lesbians" in SL. I have been around SL for 2 years and standard text chat rooms for 10 years and it is always the same in all of them. For whatever reason the guy wants to cyber but only if the other can prove they are a girl.

If they spent half the time and energy in RL trying to find a girl to hook up with as they do trying to find a real girl on the internet to cyber with....

Dang it Colette, are there any women in SL?

LOL good point.

Of course quite a few are married IRL .. but don't tell their partner right away ..

There are a lot.

Like usual, the men making all these Stereotypes are WRONG.

One thing that blew me away in that chat was the guy seems to think everyone HAS a mic or is going to pay for one just to verify themselves for him.


SL gets less enjoyable every week.

Yep just for HIM.

Thats the ego thing.

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Back in the day (90's) it was guys you just met 20 min ago in the chat room wanting your telephone number.

While we were all stupid back then and a lot of us did share phone numbers .. we waited till we mistakenly thought we knew the person first.

Not if I have to deal with it everyday.

Extremely doubful.

But you'll learn as you go along spending more time in sl.

I’ve been avoiding this thread…don’t know why…being a big time proponent of voice. Well many of you know why, because way back in MAY! this was such a hot topic that many of the threads got down right mean and nasty. Maybe this one has too. I haven’t read it all.
Anyway here are my observations:
There are people using voice. A good many have tried it and found no use for it. A small percentage uses it a lot. I would think over half of the regulars at Help Island public and Orientation Island Public have headsets on and are ready to use voice. The same holds true at many of the sandboxes and most of the welcome areas have groups that are in voice. Typically all I have to do is say “Hello” anywhere I go where there’s a crowed and someone is ready to talk in voice. I would say maybe 1 in 10 new residents that come in on the non public Orientation and Help Island, and also CSINY have headsets on and are ready to talk or will take instructions in voice but not talk. I like voice. I like to hear all the different accents. But I still type over 70% of the time. I like the flow of typed chat but I like the directness of voice. I can do both. I’ve been in situations where I was with a female avatar and to move a conversation along for one reason or another I would ask if they had voice. They would replay “no” and that would be it. I would go on thinking no more or no less of that person and really not making any assumptions. I can do that. There are people who are suspicious of those who choose not to use voice. I believe that’s too bad, but that will always be the case.
That’s all I got. Long day of typing…LOL

Unnecessary, Ricardo.

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I had someone decide I was a man last night because I was gently ribbing them and they didn't like it. So I decided to listen to the voice chat and sure enough he was talking about "These men who come here pretending to be women like that Cherry" (to paraphrase).

Couldn't let that pass now could I?

So I said in to the microphone "Man? I don't think so DARLING".

He nearly died, I think (I always get this reaction - part accent I guess, partly my voice.

Also made someone who had been waiting patiently to hear me nearly faint clean on the spot so it was worth it

Christy, sounds like you need a change of scene. Hell anyone who has been around a while is jaded ...

Mute is your friend, for idiots.

I tried that already. Nothing else in SL is interesting enough. The things that are are bogged down by lag and make it miserable.

Also I would be muting a hell of a lot of people.

Just have to deal with SL not being what it used to be and move on. When I first started SL no one dared to ask your RL information now days it is the first thing out their mouths and now they want gender verification. To hell with it.

These reactions to a simple no surprise me a bit. I'm a much more recent resident of course so YMMV, but I've been asked to use voice only a few times, have explained I don't, and had no bad problems. Maybe I'm lucky.
And with people who persist in asking about stuff that's none of their business, I decline to answer in a friendly manner, usually just insert a jokey reply, and if all else fails just ignore them.
Doesn't happen very often though, so again maybe I'm lucky, or maybe it's to do with the kind of places one hangs out in.
Anyway, good luck in finding fun again

i use voice now and then but not often (it makes me feel self concious lol) i do find that the voice viewer crashes a LOT and it's difficult to hear other speakers at times...

i prefer text chat any day...

It surprises me too when I get asked RL stuff off the bat. I will tell anyone I'm in England. After that they ask me how old I am and I'll tell them 20 months (or whatever it is, I am not Maths Girl).

Maybe I am just hardened by the school of IRC ... and very good at deflecting people's unwanted intrusion. If saying my SL age doesn't work, I will be more blunt and say this is SL what interest is RL. EVERYWHERE on the net the HNG - horny net geek - will want to talk to you that way. It's not just SL. It's a fact of modern virtual life.

And the ones who say straight away re MSN or cam I tell straight away and not too politely.

Mainly you could ask yourself who has the power here, you or this random bozo you don't give two hoots about because the correct answer is YOU, and you are who matters not them

It isn't the place it was ... nowhere on the net ever is what it once was ... but the one constant here will always be change, and loss. Moving on *is* what you need to do, whether that's within SL or with something new.

Without change and without endings there is only stagnation and putrifaction ... for birth, new life and growth something has to make way for it.

Hugs

***edit*** that was not to you Sally tho I'd happily hug you any time you want!

Also ... I don't get asked to use voice very often anyway. If it is a random stranger I will say straight "Sorry - close people only unless I am in the mood to talk in public".

/me waves at Cherry

Actually I meant to say I was surprised at the weird reactions a simple "no" is apprently attracting.
I'm just not getting those reactions as a rule.
I'll have to rephrase that in my earlier post

ETA : awwwwww thanks! /me sends Cherry a hug

Me neither. I get a sort of dejected slump and shuffle away as a rule.

YAY a hug Thanks doll. I have an appointment to get my hair highlighted in a few hours so I am not looking forward to sitting for ages with a foily head under a lamp!

You're welcome

I hear tin foil is all the new rage at the moment, especially in the shape of a hat