Again on Virtual Spaces...

Becoming less and less Virtual... Sony, Sun and opther big corporate follow the example of reuters and set up shop in Second Life... I don't know how this may affect the mood of people there... what kind of escapist fantasy is supposed to be, when contaminated by all aspects of the real world? and what about competition? would Sun win over a virtual-based corporate founded by what is in the real world a housewife?

Nissan has taken a creative approach to this: Beginning a promotional venture in a virtual world is still a relatively inexpensive proposition compared with the millions spent on other media. In Second Life, a company like Nissan or its advertising agency could buy an “island” for a one-time fee of $1,250 and a monthly rate of $195 a month. For its new campaign built around its Sentra car, the company then needed to hire some computer programmers to create a gigantic driving course and design digital cars that people “in world” could actually drive, as well as some billboards and other promotional spots throughout the virtual world that would encourage people to visit Nissan Island.

I guess the other will do similar things...

and where there's money, here comes the vultures... On Tuesday, a Congressional committee said it was investigating whether virtual assets and incomes should be taxed.

(from the NY Times)