03/21/2022
Had some friends ask "Just what is this metaverse?? I'll try to answer but, remember, the metaverse is just getting started in its present configuration, so anything I say today will be outdated tomorrow.
Start thinking about the Metaverse as the next major change in the internet.
So - for history buffs - the very first effort was a military effort that was officially begun in 1966 called the Arpanet. The first computers were connected in 1969.
The contemporary internet is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a network of networks that consists of private, public, academic, business, and government networks of local to global scope, linked by a broad array of electronic, wireless, and optical networking technologies. The Internet carries a vast range of information resources and services, such as the inter-linked hypertext documents and applications of the World Wide Web (WWW), electronic mail, telephony, and file sharing. (Wikipedia).
Now our use of the internet is evolving into something much greater. Spearheaded by gaming people and businesses around the world we are developing (metaverse) worlds in which people in distant locations are able to meet together, interact socially, and do business.
An avatar is the representation of yourself that you develop. It is how you look when you are in the metaverse. Using these personal representations, individuals are now working and being paid in the metaverse. They are also playing and touring and relaxing.
To access it, the current preferred method is the use of a special headset. But, some have invested in full body suits that monitor whether you are standing or sitting and what your arms do as you talk and also provide temperature and haptic feedback. These body suits then cause your avatar to behave similarly.
Other really attractive aspects have to do with touring. Today, you can tour parts of world without leaving your home. You contact a guide (let’s say) in Venice. You and she agree on a price, cc transaction, don your VR (virtual reality) headset, and enjoy a 1:1 live walking tour of Venice complete with the ability for a 2-way verbal exchange with your guide. You will also “see” your guide as you experience the tour.
If you decide to try it out, the most commonly recommended headset is the Oculus 2 by Facebook. It costs around $300.
That’s it for now. Keep the questions coming.
