i guess it could be construed that i was promoting an in-world currency system with my post about one of our scripters’ work. and i guess some people will think i work for Reaction Grid because i blab so much about it

i don’t work for Reaction Grid, we get nothing for talking about it, and i talk about it because i think it works very well. besides, PayPal is not in-world currency, but that is another matter. i was trying to expand people’s thinking by talking about micropayments in OpenSim, give props to my brilliant scripter, using an trustworthy site like PayPal, and blah, blah, blah – tangential note for DreamWalker: don’t actually implement your vendor system – go innovate on something else atm (!)

i blog about a lot of stuff virtual world wise and most is specific to OpenSim and Second Life. last night’s post about harnessing waste water power does not mean that Second Life, OpenSim, or Reaction Grid endorse that as a possible “green” solution. i just found it fascinating =)

this blog is purely the ramblings of an avatar. heck, i am not even real – i am facebook certified fake!

but i like Reaction Grid and will talk about it (although i will do so with less fervor and try to be more generic). here is the biggest reason that anyone can see why i think Reaction Grid is the best for us – i spend gobs of hours making stuff for subQuark in it. i don’t sell anything i make, in fact, i give it away for free. why?

because OpenSim needs content and i am altruistic in some things (like being a certified firefighter and paramedic for a volunteer department in Texas for two years)

i had three teachers in the other night and they loved all the stuff i have made. not because they are great builds (they are okay imo, but certainly not amazing) but because there were there to explore!

OpenSim lacks the content that Second Life has and that is a big reason that OpenSim lags in growth. but in time, people like me and many others will create the things needed. i like making office stuff like chairs, water coolers, and so on because those are the things i used to buy in Second Life and took for granted (i wish i could make a decent tree though) =\

i don’t spend hours making stuff because i am a lonely homebody with nothing to do. i work fulltime, do freelance work, have a family, spend hours a week discussing stuff with subQuark (and he blabs way more than i do!), and would love to get to bed before 2 AM! i also don’t make stuff to sell - so why the heck would i make anything?

i believe that what subQuark is working on, virtual field trips for kids to learn environmental science, is a noble cause. i am so frigging sappy that i believe his work could possible impact future decision makers. i also believe that a use of OpenSim like that showcases how good it is for education. Reaction Grid is for educators and i think that is really neat grid to do this type of work on

okay, where was i? oh yeah, why do i go on and on and on about OpenSim?

i think it is a fabulous creative outlet and a better alternative for some uses. you may have remembered me saying the city of Edmonton should do something besides SL. i have had a conversation with the city’s CIO about this and, in fact, one of the lead developers for their projects is in Reaction Grid

one of the blog’s commentators makes very good points, or at least points that really cause me to reflect. he commended us on getting that mention in the Top 10 Blog. we were also the fifth fastest growing WordPress last year and are in the top 2.6 to 3.1% off all global web traffic! not too bad for a fakey person

and he pointed out that OpenSim needs more blogs like this one (that made me smile like a monkey). i don’t know of many other blogs that evangelise about OpenSim (in our sidebar we list some blogs that do)

why does OpenSim need any loud mouths like me?

well, they don’t!

i like to share what i find and i like being honest and i wear my heart on my sleeve (little and cold as it is) =p

i think that information like this might help others tap into what i think is a good thing. right now i think Reaction Grid is a good thing but that’s just my two cents and only my opinion

i also think that being able to blog and tweet makes for a better world. not that my posts and chirps mean anything, but blogging and tweeting in general helps improve the world

look at Iran last year. i personally think that Twitter helped stop a lot of potential violence

so i blog from my heart, i blog my thoughts, i blog the way i see it (distorted as it is from real life challenges, traumas, and all the other crap we all have)

i don’t blog for Second Life, OpenSim, Reaction Grid, or even subQuark – i blog because i want to share the joy i find in it

what do you find joy in? let the world know! no one has to read anyone’s blogs, let them decide what to read, what you blog about might be exactly what someone else needs right at that moment (kinda like a paramedic)

namas te =)

btw, i don’t endorse anything, i don’t even run ads on the blog (well, i do endorse subQuark, he’s family)