How is Second Life a disruptive technology?
Some may consider the mere fact that the disruption is identified in the new form of the communication system. In accordance with Rosedale (2008), he explains how using symbols for communication could be considered disruptive. My perspective about “Second Life” is that I do not see it as a disruptive technology at the present time; however, it is like any technology in that it has to be used in the right way, at the appropriate age, and with supervision for minor children. It is considered a disruptive technology because through the creation of a virtual world that gives people the opportunity to reinvent themselves. Some choose to reinvent themselves while providing fictitious data that misleads others about “the real person”. Social networking is having such a great impact on our society in this era. According to Rosedale (2008), humans are social creatures that desire to explore information in the virtual world is inherently a social behavior that people desire to experience. Phillip Kapor shows a slide listing a number of technologies he considered disruptive when they appeared, including Lotus 1-2-3, UUNet, Real Networks, Wikipedia, and Second Life. Yes, Second Life was included.
What technology or innovation did it displace?
Some of the technology or innovation that it did displace is the way that we travel and the social defenselessness. Yet, it has heightened our ability to fantasize about who we are and where we are through a virtual world.
How many years do you think Second Life has left before another emerging technology or disruptive technology replaces it?
Technology is replaced, upgraded, and marketed at a fast rate of speed. It is now 2012, and I believe that is still slowly emerging. Cost effectiveness is sometimes one of the most crucial components that a consumer considers before adoption or using the technology. Reviews of participates with Second Life reveal that it is costly and requires too many resources. This technology will be replaced in less than a decade.
What are the social benefits of Second Life, and what might be the social implications of virtual worlds in your industry?
As an educator in the elementary arena, I do not see “Second Life” as a disruptive technology. In fact I use this site as a behavior tool – http://www.dojo.com. The rationale is that technology is so closely monitored by our school system and the technology team. Yet, I think about the desire for educators to implement more student directed learning and to implement more access to technology in the classroom. Some virtual world has been designed for educational purposes. For example, Active Worlds Educational Universe is one of the oldest and largest networks. Educational worlds can be found in 3D recreations of museum and gallery spaces, computer programming tutorials, and virtual libraries.
References:
Rosedale, P. (2008). Second Life [Video]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/the_inspiration_of_second_life.html.
Wallace, M. (2006). Mitch Kapor on the power of second life. Retrieved from http://www.3pointd.com/20060820/mitch-kapor-on-the-power-of-second-life/
