New virtual technologies: helping to enhance business operations.

• Author: Barbour, Tracy
• Position: TECHNOLOGY

Virtualization is one of today's hottest information technology trends, fostering the development of virtual 3D worlds, virtual computer hardware and software, and virtual office space.

Among the newest virtual technologies being leveraged by Alaska businesses is Second Life. A virtual 3D environment, Second Life mimics much of what happens in the real world. Second Life users, known as "residents," can socialize, conduct commerce and connect in a surreal way.

And just like in the real world, Second Life has an economy where residents can buy and sell services and virtual goods to one another in a free market. Services include working in stores, creating custom content and providing other personal services. Virtual goods range from land, buildings and vehicles to clothing, jewelry and works of art. Second Life, created by Linden Lab, is the leading virtual world development platform for the creation of virtual goods and 3D spaces used by individuals, artists, corporations, governments, academic institutions and nonprofits.

Home to millions of residents, Second Life is attracting a new wave of artists who are using the platform to create and promote their work. Alaska artists are using the Second Life gallery developed by the Rasmuson Foundation to expose their art to an international audience.

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"A lot of artists live and work in rural communities that have low access to broadband," says Cassandra Stalzer, the foundation's communications manager. "We built the gallery as a way to display some of the work by artists that we funded through our individual artist initiatives."

The artists don't have to pay anything to have their work exhibited in the gallery. The high-tech space is all part of the private foundation's efforts to promote a better life for Alaskans. The gallery contains four floors of art representing a variety of works from Alaskans. "You don't have to limit the art to visual art." Stalzer says. "We've incorporated literary, filmmaking and music. It's a very interesting and inspiring environment."

Artists who want to expand their presence in Second Life can create animated "avatars" to interact with other residents in business, events, role-playing communities and chat and hot spots. Avatars--like the ones depicted in James Cameron's movie "Avatar" and the animated TV show "Avatar: The Last Airbender"--are digital personas that can be created to resemble a real person or an alternate identity. Artists can purchase unique clothing, hair and fashion accessories in resident-owned shops to completely customize their avatar within Second Life's virtual realm.

POPULAR VIRTUAL TECHNOLOGIES

Alaska organizations are increasingly employing virtual technologies like Second Life to conduct business more efficiently, productively and cost effectively. Virtualization is the creation of an artificial (rather than actual) version of something--such as Second Life's virtual world. As a more technical example, operating system virtualization involves using software to allow a piece of hardware to run multiple operating system images at the same time. This, thereby, makes it possible for one computer system to function as multiple "virtual" systems. The virtualization of operating systems got its start...