Bronco Skytower no more; Display Names in Second Life - Viewer 2.3

From beta to production and now with Second Life viewer 2.3, I can finally use my own name for my avatar.  It never sat well with me to pretend being someone else.  I like to be me.

I have noticed in the week or so using viewer 2.3, that people are still calling me Bronco instead of Mark, even people I am acquainted with.  This means that others are not yet using the new viewer, but that will change.  There was one person in my friends list that I did not recognize and that is because he too is using his own name.

I wonder though, how many people will take off the mask and be themselves, at least by using their own name?  My assumption is that most people will not, since Second Life for many is really a double life.  Also, others worry about privacy violations.  For me though, and probably you too, I am all over the internet.  Any one of us can Google our own name and see links to LinkedIn, Facebook, websites, and so forth.  So for me, there is no issue of privacy.

Note former Bronco below in the photo, Bronco no more!:

Main Problems with Meetings in Second Life & other virtual spaces like Web Conferences & Skype

For me, it's the open mic that is the defining problem with meetings in Second Life, or web conferencing, or what have you.  Too much typing, cell phone ringing, coffee machines, all dissolving the professionalism of meetings.  I made a sign and placed it on our island in teaching locations, that illustrates how people can monitor themselves in a Second Life meeting.

What other types of disruptions do you see in Second Life or other virtual meetings?

Awesome Tools for Teaching in Second Life

For a school project I have been observing a teacher in Second Life. The new viewer 2, which is not that new anymore, allows access to and displaying of the cloud in Second Life. I can now use Google docs to demonstrate how to develop a business plan with a Word doc, and how to use our financial projections workbook with an Excel doc.

Also, I can teach how to build a website with Webs.com, and by using Scribblar, I have access to a whiteboard which will display asset such as images (diagrams) and PowerPoint. Powerpoint has been available for a long time in Second Life but displaying it with Scribblar allows the use of drawing tools to highlight places on slides and enhance teaching, I have found.

Visit the island by clicking HERE: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Wyoming%20Entrepreneur/162/237/46

See photos below for my use of Google docs in Second Life.