<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hi all:<DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>I'm an inveterate lurker on the list, but I have to pick up on Steven's comment a few days ago about how he gave a lecture about SL, both in the "real" world and the "virtual" world of Second Life. We here at Emerson College are currently engaged in the same thing -- as it is opening up as an educational space. We have students cranking away at building what are essentially avatars of our buildings. In fact, we have an event tomorrow, where both Trebor and Ulises will be speaking at Emerson and on Second Life, on the Emerson College Island, Emerson Island (145, 109, 23). Come by at 7 eastern and see if it works.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>In this case, it will be inside the Bordy Theater on the island. In the "real" world (I've never been comfortable with the distinction), the Bordy Theater is inside of a building alongside other buildings of the same height and size. On Emerson Island, It stands out as one of the only objects there.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>So, I ask -- why is it that there seems to be a need to reproduce items that already exist? Is a replica of a real-world place the best way to convey a message, even if it doesn't work in SL? How is that message different in SL? </DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>I'm just worried that we continue to experience the tyranny of the metaphor, as we have so many times in digital media.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Best,</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Brooke</DIV><BR><BR><DIV> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Brooke A. Knight</FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Assistant Professor of New Media</FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Department of Visual and Media Arts</FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Emerson College</FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">617-824-8760</FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica"><A href="mailto:brooke_knight@emerson.edu">brooke_knight@emerson.edu</A></FONT></P><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px">www.brookeknight.com</P> <BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"> </DIV><BR></BODY></HTML>