Wagner James Au: "Virtual Reality"

Second Life is widely credited for mainstreaming the concept of the metaverse as a virtual social platform—and today’s guest, James Au, invites us in to hear the inside scoop on how this platform foreshadowed today’s social media and virtual worlds, both in promise and in pitfalls.   A freelance tech journalist at the time, James was hired to report on the Second Life metaverse shortly after its launch in 2003. He created an avatar and focused on the real-life stories that could get both inspiring and wild, ranging from users who were homeless in real life building virtual mansions to real-life private detectives hired to determine if someone was virtually cheating on their virtual significant other.  Author of "The Making of Second Life,” James describes what the platform was originally conceived to be like and explains what he means when he calls Second Life “the biggest mystery in Silicon Valley.” And you don’t even need an avatar to listen. Links Mentioned in This Episode: Second Life and Linden Lab ​​James’s HarperCollins Author Page James’s stories for Wired New World Notes - James’s long-running blog devoted to all things Second Life and VR  James’s book - The Making of Second Life James’s book - Game Design Secrets How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan Oculus Quest Sine Wave Entertainment NetHack - an open-source single-player game Salon once described as “one of the finest gaming experiences the computing world has to offer.”

Om Podcasten

The tech industry is great at talking about the future, especially on podcasts. What we're not so great at is taking the time to understand our past. And that's what this podcast is all about. From the Noyce and Fairchild Semiconductor generation through the founding of social media, the history of Silicon Valley has many lessons for us. And we'll be interviewing the people who lived through these experiences to bring their knowledge to you. You'll get explanations for how we got where we are, which can also suggest where the future might be; along with a few laughs and inside stories from those who lived through it. So pull up a seat and listen to the tales of the past, in which may lie seeds for our future. New Episodes twice a month on Thursdays.