Ashis Gupta’s Weblog
Just another WordPress.com weblogArchive for October 26, 2008
Discussion:Exploring Human Factors in Virtual Worlds by Poornima Padmanabhan
I like the author Poornima Padmanabhan’s clear statement, “Virtual worlds present a unique set of opportunities and challenges for technical communicators because they differ from other online text-and multimedia-based information interfaces in terms of how users seek and experience information”. Like many other supports, one of the most impressive for technical communicators is making extra space (virtually) that can provide services easily than real life. For example, storage: files and documentations can be stored in virtual worlds, tight schedule for conference room; possible to make it virtually, professor who can not meet students in class because of emergency can also meet students virtually, or professor who teach students online they can teach and train their students by the help of the virtual worlds. Moreover, beside technical communicators we general people could also arrange decent get together virtually, no matter how far we are from each other.
On the other hand, as author says interfaces in terms of how user seek ; yes some of users or admins can create interfaces for virtual entertainments to sale other users in order to make ease money. In other word may be corporate technical communicators develop this virtual world to establish a business where is less competition but more profit. May be politician and corporate technical communicators together develop virtual worlds to make people busy or diver young generation’s mind from real life of advancement or, may be rich countries want to make business with comparatively in advanced countries. “Uno Laptop Por Nino” Could be the good example. These are all possible facts beside the opportunities of technical communicators.
For me the most exiting novelty of virtual worlds is to do what you can not do in real life. However, beside great supports of technical communicators virtual worlds can drive us three points as below: 1. since virtual worlds can satisfy all human desires; there would not be any frustration (?) in real life, 2. we, people get so much depended on virtual worlds to get rid of our unsuccessful lives that we might not accept real world anymore and 3. we are human being; we might get bored easily as we are excited about the virtual worlds than real one.
