Cifras y fechas en SL

Hace unos días me llamaba un estudiante de doctorado de la UOC para preguntarme acerca de Second Life, cifras, estadísticas y usuarios de España que utilicen o tengan presencia en este entorno virtual ... interesante para un estudio o un directorio de recursos.

Lo cierto es que en los datos que ofrece la wikipedia se habla de cifras desde 2006 (1.700.000 usuarios), y a cifra de hoy se han superado los 5 millones, en concreto, 5.014.954.

Ya me he puesto en contacto con los de Linden Lab, y tirando de mis conocimientos como documentalista, recopilando información sobre entidades educativas españolas presentes en SL.

Pero sigamos buceando en la información y saquemos a la luz algunas fechas...

1981. Se publica “True Names” de Vernor Vinge, Binary Star #5, Dell Publishing Company, New York.

1990. En la I Conferencia Internacional Anual sobre el Ciberespacio, se publica “The Lessons of Lucasfilm's Habitat” que además indica que se inspiró en la novela citada anteriormente.

Lucasfilm's Habitat was created by Lucasfilm Games, a division of LucasArts Entertainment Company, in association with Quantum Computer Services, Inc. It was arguably one of the first attempts to create a very large scale commercial multi-user virtual environment
Publicado en Cyberspace: First Steps, Michael Benedikt (ed.), 1990, MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass.

1991. William Gross funda Knowledge Adventure Inc. empresa que desarrolla software educativo para niños en 3D.

1992. Se publica "Snow Crash" la novela de Neal Stephenson.

1994. Se funda Knowledge Adventure Worlds (KAW), que utiliza tecnologia Life Forms con tecnología de entornos 3D de Knowledge Adventure.

Chris Cole, the founder of Peregrine Systems, Dave Gobel (da5id/Nethead) from Knowledge Adventure (makers of 3D Dinosaur Adventure etc), and Cole Larson from Kinetic Effects Inc, a Simon Fraser University spin-off company that marketed the Life Forms (COMPOSE) avatar software developed by Kinetic Effects Research Inc (later Credo Interactive), founded Knowledge Adventure Worlds (KAW), merging the Life Forms technology with Knowledge Adventure's 3D-environment technology.

En el mismo año, 1994. Worlds Inc. fundada por B. Thomas Adler anteriormente integrador de producto en Knowledge Adventure, Inc. lleva a cabo un proyecto utilizando un sistema operativo multiusuario navegable en 3D de Knowledge Adventure Worlds.

KNOWLEDGE ADVENTURE WORLDS TECHNOLOGY TO BE USED IN SPEILBERG/HEINZ INTERACTIVE PROJECT AIDING SERIOUSLY-ILL CHILDREN
Today at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Steven Spielberg and Teresa Heinz announced their major collaboration for entertainment and communications services. The project will use Knowledge Adventure Worlds' innovative 3-D navigable multi-user operating system, WorldsWareTM. The new project, to be developed by Los Angeles-based Starbright Pediatric Network, will allow children to design their own 3-D cartoon-like representation, which is then transmitted across the Internet or over standard telephone lines to "meet" with other characters.

En ese mismo año, 1994, la prensa se hace eco de los entornos virtuales multiusuario “Multi-user virtual environments, part I - includes related article on software inspiration from science fiction books”
Biologists around the world use a MOO called BioMOO (what else?) to collaborate. Similarly, Amy Bruckman's MediaMOO at MIT's Media Lab is a home for researchers actively investigating media and technology. MOOS add important elements to the discourses, starting with a shared context in the form of a persistent environment. Objects such as session transcripts or document drafts stay in the place visit after visit. The place itself becomes familiar.
People can set rooms aside in the MOO for different topics and can furnish and decorate them appropriately. Some participants may create tools or objects (e.g., work aids, idea prototypes, discussion maps) that everyone uses and that help move the discussion forward. People can project their personalities by how they name and describe themselves, and thereby get to know each other. Creating such a space together is a significant community-building exercise. Think of it as the barn-raising of the modern age. The resulting space may hold special meaning for the participants. Of course, it can also be the site of major crises and ill will.

Comparativa de BioMOOD, MOOsburg, EdMOO, DU MOO ... como los más conocidos.

1995. Lanzamiento oficial de Alphaworld, web virtual de mundos 3D con un cliente basado en windows.

En ese mismo año Worlds Inc., presenta en SIGGRAPH '95 junto con IBM las posibilidades de la VRML. (Ahora X3D)

IBM and Worlds Inc. will announce and demonstrate Virtual Reality Modeling Language+ (VRML+), a jointly proposed extension to the emerging Internet standard, Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML). The two companies are offering VRML+ to the computer industry as a first step towards an enhanced VRML, and are making the protocols freely available.

Su presentación comenzaba asi:
Click on the Internet and begin an exciting journey with other people through a virtual environment. Travel with other cyber-surfers from around the world who, like you, can be seen as real-life avatars, or visual embodiments of people. Chat with your cyber-pals as you tour an art gallery of renowned paintings. Conduct business by talking to sales representatives about their products and services. Buy and sell products that can be demonstrated and seen in full-motion 3-D form.

Como veo que esta entrada da para mucho más y precisa más tiempo de investigación, la trasladaré a la wiki (http://educasecondlife.pbwiki.com/)

1999. Philip Roselade después de trabajar en RealNetworks, crea Linden Lab para desarrollar la idea de Second Life o "crear una revolucionaria nueva forma de experiencias compartidas, donde los individuos se reunan en una tierra inhabitada en 3D para construir el mundo alrededor de ellos".