Te-ai gândit vreodată că ţi-ai dori o altă viaţă? Nu ţi se pare că realitatea e câteodată prea crudă? Poate ţi-ar fi mai bine într-o existenţă paralelă – o a doua viaţă. Acest adevărat fenomen care face furori pe internet la ora actuală se numeşte exact aşa: A doua viaţă. O relatare de Madeleine Morris:

Ascultaţi povestea

Virtual worlds are still a little known part of the internet. In them, real humans are shown as digital versions of themselves known as avatars. They build homes and businesses, buy and sell land and have relationships - all through the medium of the computer.

Second Life is the biggest and best-known virtual world but for all the hype, generally no more than one-million people log on in any given month. But in an interview with the BBC, Second Life founder Philip Rosedale has predicted that as technology improves, that will change:

PHILIP ROSEDALE: Our challenge is to scale this from nine-million people registered and a couple of hundred thousand people a day using it to hundreds of millions of people routinely using it, which I think it can and will reach.

Speaking by his avatar, Philip Rosedale compared the current state of virtual worlds to the stage the internet was at in the early nineties. Real world businesses are currently expanding into virtual worlds not only as marketing tools but as recruiting sites. Multi-national companies, such as IBM and PA Consulting, now regularly hold client meetings there.

But the technology behind virtual worlds is still a long way off being ready for mass use. Currently no more than fifty avatars can gather in one place without freezing the computer programme, and performing basic functions, such as changing your appearance, requires technical expertise well beyond the ability of most everyday PC users.

Madeleine Morris, BBC

Ascultaţi cuvintele

Virtual
virtual, ireal

avatars
avatar, alter-ego virtual

but for all the hype
în ciuda tevaturii, publicităţii şi a discuţiilor în ziare, la televizor etc pentru a atrage interesul publicului

to scale
(aici) a mări, a creşte numărul de utilizatori a aduce la scară

it can and will reach
poate şi chiar va atinge (acea cifră)

recruiting sites
agenţii de recrutare de personal pe internet

a long way off being ready
departe de a fi gata, având nevoie de schimbări

mass use
utilizare în masă

freezing the computer programme
blocarea programului (în acest caz A doua viaţă)

technical expertise
cunoştinţe tehnice amănunţite