Thread: Virtual world in enterprises

This concept of computer based virtual world is gaining attention slowly among the enterprises. Generally, this concept is treated as only for 3-D gaming application which is not true.Virtual world isan online simulated environment which enables the user to interact with each other or they can themselves do different activities. A well known example of this is Second Life, wherein a user is represented as an 'Avatar'. Avatar can explore, buy or sell land, socialize, perform activities and carry certain business activities. Apart from this, the concept of virtual world has found its place in education domain. For example, if you are an educator, then you can join second life for free and can teach classes, interact with students in unique ways.

Renowned universities like Harvard, Texas, Stanford have set up their virtual campuses on Second life grid platform. Under these virtual campuses, students can meet, attend classes and create content together. A similar application can be developed for enterprises wherein the employees are allowed to carry out their daily routine job and can evaluate their performance. In this way, they can look for improvement areas. This will also provide an enterprise to save cost for additional training, and monitor the performance of the employees more closely.

Virtual world concept has not proved to be a profit making solution as yet, but it holds a potential to become one. Steps are being taken for the interoperability of the virtual worlds i.e. operability between second life and other virtual worlds.
The Open Grid Beta software from Linden labs is designed for developers to check the interoperability between virtual worlds.



This beta program will enable users to move from Second Life test grid to other non-Linden Lab grids running the OpenSim software. Testing of the interoperability between two virtual worlds is yet to be realized fully. The beta version is for the developers to try it and come up with new protocols for developing the interoperability. IBM is experimenting with the possibility of conducting businesses inside the virtual world and to connect it with the real world with a richer, more impressive web environment.

Another development coming in the web would be Internet TV. In a decade or so, it will be totally different to what it is today. Pictures of high quality, personaliza-" tion, very high streaming, sharing and many more features would be there. It would be an great opportunity fot the media to explore this possibility and increase over their market.