EDUCEDGE,

[original post 11/10/08]

Technical Issues: When I first went on SL, I had no technical issues. But when I wanted to update my laptop to Vista, I could not run SL. My laptop has a ATI integrated video card that I could not update to satisfy Vista’s requirements. So I forgot about Vista and reinstalled Microsoft Office XP, and I am back to flying inworld.
The technical issues of consequence that I ran across appeared at the most annoying moment: My New Orleans MERLOT conference in 2007. I was preparing my mixed reality presentation: me in f2f with my audience, starting with my power point. Then introducing them to SL with my inworld guest speakers: Dr. Brock Allen, MVUE isntructor Cathy Arreguin, and guest visitor, Jeremy Kemp of SFSU.
The problem began when I plugged my laptop to the screen projector, while keeping my screen on my laptop working, with ppt open in the background. Also, I was on wireless connection. That was just too much. My laptop crashed.Well….first, my avatar jumped in the air and hovered in the most ridiculous swimming pose above ground, then frightully crashed on her face. In RL, I made a face as if I has hurt myself. Then the audience heard my professor Brock Allen asked “Oh my god, are you alright Sabine?” Interesting, isn’t it? that one immediately associate the avatar with the RL person behind it. Of course, I was alright. my face and nose were quite fine. This was actually a great opportunity to introduce my RL audience to certain realities of SL and parallels with RL.

So, now I know. Don’t overload your laptop unecessarily. I also reflected on the fact that “why using ppt when you can SHOW what SL is?” One can always provide the audience with a ppt handout. This does not mean that the presentation must SHOW the ppt onscreen. After all, the audience knows how to read. If slides must be shown inworld, then it is quite possible to do so inworld (great tools for free or 5Linden dollars, a pitance). Consequently, the technical issues I encountered were a blessing in disguise. I learned quite a bit by reflecting on my presentation skills and rethinking this new medium’s potentials in light of the old conventions.