I know, I know voice posts are probably heading into OT on overkill but I had to do it. I've already covered this with Hawks on the JH Report but I think it's time to put a MG spin on it now after further voice use.I, for one am very excited about voice. I have been since my log in in the First Look Viewer even though it was in the WA Ahern area. I think for the most part a few people are excited as I am. There are a lot that aren't though. I was trying to think up reasons why others could not possibly be as excited as me. I came up with a few theories.
- They're men in female avatars. Yup. Simple as that. Using voice will just flush them out. Unless of course you get that voice morphing software that makes you sound like a woman or just choose not to use it. Then I will most likely assume you're really a man & laugh at you. Hahahaha!
- Hate their voices & think their voice just sucks. Well let me be the judge of that. TALK TO ME! I'll give you my honest opinion, really. People say I'm loud, giggly & I sound like I'm 13... I don't care - love me or hate me.
- Too cheap to buy a mic. Let me help ya out on this one... As cheap as $8.98 usd at Walmart. Who doesn't have a Walmart? Order online. So what, u go without crack or smokes for a day. You'll live.
There's even new tools for voice. How can you not be excited about things like this (SecondLife Speech Tools 1.24) :
See... men who play women, no need to be afraid! No "I hate my voice" and no excuses for being too cheap to buy a mic. Okay I so lost my point with this post entirely. Haha! I want to know how ya'll feel about voice & why? Do you feel it's easier to protect your online persona if you choose not to use voice?
33 comments:
So what if they don't want it cuz it'll interfere with their 'character' what about those of us who don't have this 'on screen' persona that we portray and just want to chill with our friends? Pfft I say stop talking shit and just start talking..
You want to RP - go to an RPG. You want to socialize go to an MMO but I really think the RPG and MMO/MMORPG aspect of SL are clashing
I'll just continue to steer clear of those that I believe are just projecting a fake image and stick to those that will either use a damn mic or at least show a pic SOMEWHERE they put that 1st life tab there for a reason - and it wasn't so you could put "My FL and SL are seperate" I don't care if they are seperate I care if you are being genuine and honest!
I'm not saying to give anyone and everyone every shred of personal information that makes up your being .. I'm saying stop playing that "RolePlay" card and start playing the "Me" card. I'd rather hang with someone that is open than hang with someone that I never know a thing about. I don't care if I don't know every aspect of your day/week/month/year .. but if you're a chick avatar and you're a dude IRL just say so! God most of us don't care as long as your HONEST.
I won't use voice for one reason. I have kids who do NOT know how to shut up. No one wants to hear my kids screaming and blabbering and whining in the background. Hell, I don't want to hear it.
My FL and SL are *not* separate. My kids climb all over me, and I have serious doubts that people wanna put up with that.
I do wonder what kind of impact it will have on customer service across the grid. Will customers expect shop owners to be available via voice? Then how do I explain when my kid is yelling in the background, "Mommy, come wipe my butt!" At least now I can politely excuse myself for a couple minutes and no one's the wiser.
I dunno, I think it'll be great for some (single/childless/those with better behaved/older kids than mine) people, especially the casual players. I just hope it doesn't become "required." Because you guys really don't want to hear what happens at my house. Ask Haedon.
Funny - I am definitely a woman and I don't roleplay, but I still don't really look forward to voice in SL. Here's why: when I tried it, we were all just zombies...just standing there doing nothing. Even having an avatar seemed so pointless. One of the things I like best about SL are the stupid things you can do with your avatar even as you just stand around and chat (type).
I do use Skype with the people I want to talk to but I have no real desire to talk in large groups (like a welcome area for instance) or while shopping. I just don't see how voice will really fit in with my SL at this point.
I will use it for business purposes - meaning when I speak with reporters that I work with for my RL job for instance.
Am not opposed to it but really don't think I'll use it much beyond a few special cases.
Again, it goes back to the avatar. We were all just standing there, motionless. Seemed so much less visually appealing to me.
But I R WOMAN!
i'm not excited about voice being right around the corner. even tho i am a girl. and i dont roleplay. and my voice is completely normal. but my english isnt. :) it's my second language, and whenever i try to speak english my tongue curls up and dies.
that, and i tend to get shy. :)
but i am a girl.
Odd, why would I use a voice that's actually not my voice? Just to use a voice and pretend I'm natural saying: "Yes....long pause...sweetie?"?
I absolutely support the opinions that an avatar is expressing one's inner self therefore one's actual voice might not fit in to the picture of ourselves we have IN OUR HEAD.
More importantly, when would I use voice? In public places like clubs where everyone would be talking at the same time? I don't think so, if I was trying to shout at my friends and grasp at least a little from what they said, I might aswell attempt to kill all the other people in the room, especially the host.
If public places are a logical nono, I can use it at home with my partner. Sweet. But as it happens I don't live alone in RL and deffinitelly am not interested in my family hearing me "scratching my partner's back lightly", and that's just the start of it....
Remind me of a good reason for using voice again?
Tigerlily, I tote hear ya. I have kids as well. They're bad bad bad kids too. LOL! I agree that no one wants to hear us yell at our kids, I usually mute the mic, go postal, scream, and come back to the mic. That's when I remmy. :p
I do believe in large crowds voice won't always be the best choice. One on one though, I love it or in a group of friends. For months now I've been using Skype with SL because it just makes shopping trips easier when your with your girls & you go seperate ways. It completely rocks when exploring too. I'll prob use Skype still just for those occasions.
As for the standing around aspect. Sometimes with Skype I do that now too. I always try to do cartwheels, or dance but sometimes forget. :p I do try though to keep those others not in my voice convo entertained as well. Nothing sucks more than feeling left out.
It's been a while since the last time I've readed your blog (yes, yes, I've had a lot of work, but it isn't an excuse).
Anyway, I was checking if my post about silence had appeared at http://fashionplanet.worldofsl.com/ and there was yours, just above mine and with big help sign, so I had to read it...
I find your theories a bit schematic, but probably right in most cases; it's been funny to see so clearly written what will probably be in the mind of voice users :-)
Hey, I just though I'd add few possible theories into the mix. I have tried the voice out and I find that while I'm ok with chatting away in text, my shyness comes out more when I have to talk over people. I shrink and become a total wallflower. But even more serious reasons are people with challenges that lead to impaired speech, like lisps or muscular disorders. I also personally know of at least one person who is hearing impaired using SL regularly and I'm sure she isn't the only one.
Voice is the only way to play.
I always had "friends" online, but voice has enhanced those friendships to a new level. It makes the person seem much closer, and ummm real?
Maybe some just are afraid of the "real" part.
I agree with Orchid!
I'll just continue to steer clear of those that I believe are just projecting a fake image
English as a second language, here: I might have problems understanding spoken words - and I'm ashamed by my pronunciation. I'm not crazy about my voice, either.
I don't know, I'll probably try it anyway, but I really like silent SL.
I so so so hate my voice, I hate using the phone because I hate my voice. That's reason #1, 2, & 3 I will so never ever use voice in SL. Feel free to be voice bigots, but I've dealt with worse in my life than people who choose to harass me because I don't want to use voice.
Reasons #4 & 5? I work with kids in RL, I dance and escort to make L$ in SL... I so don't think my bosses would treat it differently just because I do it in SL rather than RL. Why keep doing that then...? Because I enjoy it and get a thrill out of it... It's part of why i come to SL... And I may as well earn some cash to keep up with my outflow of money on clothes in SL...
To Jelly:
I won't use voice, Jellybean, because it would please bigots like you. You can feel free to judge people as much as you like, but I don't have to listen to it in voice. And since I can turn you off or mute you, you can expect me to do so.
It's shameful that someone like you should be so intolerant as to expect everyone to play the game your way.
I found your post to be inconsiderate, wrong, hurtful and bigoted.
Can I ask you this...
Why in a virtual world would someone need to project a true image when they don't have to? Are you in a position to judge them for this?
The answers are: "they shouldn't have to" and "you aren't."
To Orchid:
You're just as full of it as she is.
Why would anyone who has spent so much time creating a persona destroy it just because you want them to?
I think it's ridiculous and stupid that people like you think that someone should reveal themselves because you want them to "be honest."
Why don't we just get a full body scanner so that everyone can be "completely" honest, since this would "out" all of those fatties playing thin people, huh?
THIS IS A VIRTUAL WORLD. PEOPLE WILL PLAY IT THE WAY THEY WANT. IF YOU CHOOSE TO BE INTOLERANT YOU WILL SIMPLY OUT YOURSELF AS THE BIGOT THAT YOU ARE.
Kind Regards,
Anony Mouse
"Fuck you, if you don't like it, bigots."
"I'll just continue to steer clear of those that I believe are just projecting a fake image and stick to those that will either use a damn mic or at least show a pic SOMEWHERE they put that 1st life tab there for a reason - and it wasn't so you could put "My FL and SL are seperate" I don't care if they are seperate I care if you are being genuine and honest!"
Fine, steer clear of me. I wouldn't want a bigot like your or Jelly as my friend in the first place. In my opinion, you'd be doing me a favor. So, thanks.
Anony
Why the Dichotomy, Jelly?
Tell me, if a man doesn't use voice are you going to assume that he's a girl in disguise?
What if I just don't want to share my voice with people? If I wanted to phone you, I would. Sheesh.
Anony
WOW at Anony going a little overboard there? If you cant take what they say then go away.. seriously if a few words on a blog, that are not pointing directly at you and are just their feelings, hurt you , then you are a sad sad person. They are just words, and hell if you don't like these girls then don't read their blog since its going to cause you anguish.
anyways
I personally LOVE voice. I love hearing all of my friends and NOT having to use skype to talk to them. If someone chooses not to use it.. bah then they are missing out. Just because your too shy to talk doesn't mean crap. Hell i don't always talk, when i have something to say i say it, if its something i would be shy saying i type it.
I have spent countless hours at the WE at Waterhead and made some really good friends through voice than i would honestly have never spoken to in chat. It opens the doors for so many more friendships.
i dont usually disagree with you girls but in this case voice is so much bigger and complicated then you want it to be or make it look to be. people have issues and different personalities that make them no want to voice. you cant just tell people to suck it up and do what you want them too.
you girls always tell people that if they cant accept you like you are they should go fuck themselves but you all have to accept others the way they are and that means accepting they just dont want to voice.
Imzadi Giles said... "WOW at Anony going a little overboard there? If you cant take what they say then go away.. seriously if a few words on a blog, that are not pointing directly at you and are just their feelings, hurt you , then you are a sad sad person. They are just words, and hell if you don't like these girls then don't read their blog since its going to cause you anguish."
So I should only read blogs that I agree with? That's as laughable as it is stupid.
What causes me anguish is the judgmental and bigoted attitude that Jellybean has.
What bothers me is that people like her will unfairly judge people who can't or won't use voice for various reasons. People who would normally just be on SL to do what they want to do. It bugs me that she thinks she is in a position to judge other people.
Voice has killed other virtual worlds, check this out:
http://tinyurl.com/27gsg5
I don't think I'm going overboard in saying that she's being a bigot. I mean, after all she's judging all women who don't use voice to be men, I consider it entirely fair play to consider her an ignorant bigot, since she's shown quite clearly that she is one.
Hurts when it works both ways, doesn't it?
Sincerely,
Anony Mouse
"Identifying Bigots around the world.."
I believe this anony person is mistaken, but entitled to his/her opinions... and I don't think his/her comments merit a lengthy rebuttal in response, because anyone reading the blog or who knows me would know I am not a bigot. Sometimes ya'll honestly need to lighten up.
For those that took this post the way it was meant, and to those that gave feedback on your voice opinions... thank you
Jelly,
I read your response on the Pandora Designs blog and it's clear that you didn't really mean any harm. Your comment is here:
http://tinyurl.com/36b2jh
I think what you need to remember is that what you write here is sometimes taken literally by people. Whether you mean it that way or not.
The fact is that people do have legitimate reasons not to use voice and they don't deserve to be judged by anyone. SL is a place to relax and have fun... not to face the same social pressures that we face in RL. Anyone who wants to judge others here for being whatever they want to be is, honestly, taking the whole thing too seriously in the first place.
If I wanted to be judged or put under peer pressure, I wouldn't have ever started logging in in the first place.
I think you'll find that, the reason everyone hasn't downloaded the voice FL yet, is because most (if not all) of the people who are interested in voice have already done so. If voice were such a popular feature, I would expect more people to have participated in the beta. Participation was thin, I was there... I tried it... it was unimpressive. Lot's of people had bad mics which made a lot of noise and, many people left their mics hot... which made for an annoying and constant din of computer fans in the background. Also, there were a lot of people from other countries in the world who's accent was atrocious. I'm sure that they had good written English... but it really really ruined it for me.
In conclusion, I apologize for calling you a bigot, but it certainly felt like it. Also, I encourage you to consider the legitimate reasons people might not want to be audible in SL before passing judgment on them.
Not using voice is nothing personal... just personal preference.
Very Sincerely Yours,
Anony Mouse
"Catch me if you can."
Thank you Anony. I appreciate the comment and apologize as well for any carelessness on my part in writing this post. I honestly didn't think it was this controversial.
I agree with "Not using voice is nothing personal... just personal preference." I just wanted to know some feed back as to why people would or wouldn't use it.
Well, I run two alts and I don't want anyone to think that me and Tyler Durden are the same person just because we have the same voice, so at least one of us is going to avoid it. If you don't want to be Tyler's friend unless you can hear his voice saying, "Fuck you, why would I want to be the friend of someone who indulges in emotional blackmail, Orchid?" then I think you're both better off, really.
That's Tyler, much more in-your-face than me; he'll probably be using voice to tell people how he honestly feels, while I tap away at the keyboard with the intellectual crap.
An anonymous poster who doesn't like voice. I'm baffled.
I used voice for three years in yahoo it was never an issue at all it was fun and well loaded with drama yelling screaming tears abuse laughs joy and absolute devastation , it hasnt stopped me from using skype or yahoo since I have come to SL but I am in different circumstances since then , what no one has also touched on as a VERY valid reason also is timezones , when your all sitting around gasbagging loud and proud and expecting all to participate your forgetting that in your peak times especialy in the US its generaly 4am in places like Australia and NZ and then a bit earlier in Asia ,
Doesnt matter who you live with or dont live with there is a certain amount of respect needed for people that are sleeping and might not also want to hear one sided Voice Chat , when I lived alone in my own house and had spaces between the neighbouring houses I didnt care one bit who heard me it was my domain lol but now at 3am I cant and when I could talk if I actualy wanted to and I dont realy at all have any interest in voice chat in SL , then it would be your 3am .
Also gender swapping aside there is things like many that come into my work and have to rush off because they are actualy at their RL jobs lol or often you hear mention that other people in the household or dorms dont know they SL at all ,thats their business Im not going to judge that , woudlnt even think to do so , in places like paltalk and yahoo and msn and all those one white screen full of text forms of chat I understand why voice chat is a bonus , in a world where you have mountains and waterfalls , skyscrapers and galleries , churches and castles , I dont see why you would want to taint it with voice .
if its that important you all sit back and give your fingers a rest and hell i understand that need , do so but dont try and push it on other people, I went to beta as i have posted to Jelly before , I was all giggling and enjoying it one on one with a friend and then the men started coming and talking and wanting me to talk to them , im not a parrot I dont talk when commanded to, i have never shut up faster in my life .
there were so many exciting things I was looking forward too with voice in SL we thought omg live music without needing to pay for a stream YAY means more live music , the ability to maybe open some comedy clubs in SL and have stand up with the hopefully respectful audience shutting up and letting only the person on stage talk YAY that would rock ....unfortunatly though there isnt enough respect in SL as it is to even think that that would work , and my experience with a few in Beta shut me up , but nothing made me more against it than the thought of griefing and people who think that buying an item and not paying attention to perms or thinking they are above perms set and having the ability to start screaming at me in chat rather than the CAPS YELLING AT ME was enough to say no way....its nice to want to be social sure , but there are so many other reasons to not use it , dont stomp your feet and say I wont talk to this person or that person unless they validate themselves to your criteria of acceptability , its only limiting you not them , they will go on to meet other wonderful people and share many joys with them , but you wont get to know them and thats a shame .
and Jelly its a great post because you did ask people to share :o)
xoxo Sasy xoxo
Well, BJ it's not hard to work it out, but, since you admit to being baffled let me help you...
I'm a person who wants their anonymity. Just because I'm talking to Bob/Jane from accounting on SL doesn't mean I want him to know it's me. :) I hope that gets it through to you. See.... it wasn't that hard. Not too long a walk, was it?
I play the game my way... you play it yours. If you can't deal with it, then I suggest you try your best to get over it because I'm not going to change to suit you... nor is anyone else.
My apologies Jelly... I swore that I wasn't going to post on this topic again... but BJ's comment demanded a reply.
Very truly yours,
Anony Mouse
"Buzz off, if you don't like it."
LMAO @ Anony.
God damned, something crawled up your ass. I see voice as the line between people who are the social butterflies and those who are shy.
Truth be told, anything can happen. People tend to label SL as an assortment of things, but it's relaly just a medium of whatever we want it to be.
To some, it's a social atmosphere, to others, it's a game and a business opportunity.
People forget what SL really is...it's an opportunity to be someone else. Whether you are a fish, model, ceo, whatever...it's up to you.
Voice, I imagine, will just add another element to the madness. I think that people like anony won't use voice because it will spoil the fun, but I can be damned sure they will be listening in!
I feel for the type-fuckers out there when one wants to voice and the other is a little mic shy. Sure, everyone will be making excuses about it...
My mic is broken, my computer is slow, my voice sucks, I'm actually 8 years old...
Whatever.
My advice, don't let voice tear everything apart. Going off on the current topics, BE YOURSELF. There's nothing wrong with roleplay, but at least get to know each other on a semi-personal non-roleplay level. Hell, who wants to meet empty personalities anyways? What's the fun in getting to know a character of a book or a story?
Shit. Give me the real deal. Let me pick your brain and find out what makes you tick. That is fascinating, more so than telling me how much blood points you've spent just to cast a magic missle.
Yes, I know...two references.
Bite, swallow, kiss my ass...repeat as needed.
LMAO @ Silent
I'm not a role-player, at least not in the sense that you imply... I don't even know what a "blood point" or a "magic missle" is. What I am is someone who doesn't particularly want to be recognized, recorded, or anything else.
I won't use SL voice for the same reason I won't age identify or the same reason I wont use Yahoo voice enabled clients. Because I want my privacy anonymity.
What I do have a problem with is people expecting others to play the game their way.
Shit. Give me the real deal. Let me pick your brain and find out what makes you tick. That is fascinating, more so than telling me how much blood points you've spent just to cast a magic missle.
This is the problem right here. I don't want you to know who I really am. Preserving my anonymity gives me freedom.
Sure, everyone will be making excuses about it...
My mic is broken, my computer is slow, my voice sucks, I'm actually 8 years old...
No one has to make an excuse to you, or owes you an explanation. I'll tell you what, if you ever meet me in world, I won't give you an excuse. I'll simply say "No." No apologies or regrets, just don't badger me about it. If someone wants to judge, that's entirely their problem. The only person they would be limiting is themself.
people like anony won't use voice because it will spoil the fun, but I can be damned sure they will be listening in!
Wow, how sure are you??? You're "damned" sure. Well, this is where you're wrong again. I have no intention of "listening in" at any time because it might give people who use voice the pleasure of having me respond to them. If they want to stand and talk about me while they're effectively muted by me... who are they talking to but themselves? Do I care? No.
Sincerely,
Anony Mouse
"Catch me if you can."
I'm a person who wants their anonymity.
Thats very obvious.
See.... it wasn't that hard. Not too long a walk, was it?
No sir it wasn't. Or? Oh nvm.
I've spent enough time typing. You are 100% corrrect. Now I'm done and buzzing off.
BJSmooth1 on Skype if ya care to chat sometime. :-)
I'm another person who isn't going to use voice.
I do like my privacy, but to the person who said people like myself would still listen- really?
The people looking forward to voice are those people who already have made custom gestures of themselves saying everything they could possibly think of.
That already annoys the hell out of me. Now with voice I get the option to listen to them ramble on about their boring lives where they spend 70%+ of it at the computer?
Oh my! You're right, who could wait for something that wonderful?
So reason # 302 for not using voice:
If you can't even convey to me in typed words why you need my attention, why do I need to listen to your voice?
I'd rather strike up a conversation with a stranger on the bus.
BJ,
No sir it wasn't. Or? Oh nvm.
Haha, very funny. Like I'll ever tell you. :)
I've spent enough time typing. You are 100% corrrect. Now I'm done and buzzing off.
Good, thanks. ;)
BJSmooth1 on Skype if ya care to chat sometime. :-)
Nope, sorry... although I'm sure that Orchid might be willing to give you a call, you and her seem to have a lot in common. ;)
Very Sincerely Yours,
Anony Mouse
"Keep guessing..."
For me, I won't be using voice for the same reason I keep my SL on mute - my PC is in my living room, where my boyfriend watches TV, reads, and plays on his own computer, and the noise/music/talking from SL would be annoying.
Also, I think that with voice it is simply too easy for words to go straight from thought to mouth without any mental filters kicking in. With text chatting, you at least can take a few seconds to make sure you sounds coherent.
Finally, I think there is too much potential for abuse with voice. Unless some kind of transcripts are taken, how do you prove if someone spoke abusively to you? Especially, while we may scoff at the idea of SL rape, I think that the potential for abuse of women is increased by making voice systematic.
Voice options were already available - as earlier commenters have sited, Skype was/is commonly used to fulfill that function. I do not see why making voice an integrated function of SL was necessary, when those who wanted it already had a way to get it. Instead, those of use who want nothing to do with it will suffer from the lag it causes, instead of this lag being relegated only to those actively using voice by running Skype and SL simultaneously.
Reasons for someone not to use voice, off the top of my head:
- Deaf
- Mute
- Tintinitis
- Cochlear Implants
- Meniere's Disease
- Reduced Sound Tolerance
- Perforated Eardrum
- Lesions on Auditory Canal, Middle Ear, Tympanic Membrane
- Idiopathic Malformation
- Hearing loss from Rubella, Syphilis, etc.
- Anoxia
- Speech Impediment
- Yadda
- Yadda
- Yadda
The fact that over 10% of Americans have hearing loss to one degree or another? That for those over 65 the prevalence becomes nearly 40%?
And those are just the "easy" ones to identify. Now on to some practical reasons:
- Linguistic Deficit
- Unable to speak because of environment (late night at home, work, etc.)
- Politeness about background noise (already mentioned about kids, etc.)
- Ability to scroll up and see what people said while you were away.
- Ability to translate what the person said because you aren't quick enough to translate it via voice.
- Don't like to hear belching, farting, annoying laughter, idiots who play loud music you hate in the background, or any number of other environmental issue beyond the listener's control.
- Desire to listen to the music that is playing in the club and chat rather than having to choose one or the other - I go to enough clubs in real life and I *love* that I can talk and listen to dance music at the same time rather than having to choose one or the other.
- Its rude to talk during live music performances.
- One of my personal favorites... You don't want the guys you are talking to in the boardroom at work who mention going to an SL escort service the night before to realize that it was *you* who they paid for slex when they hear you talk.
- Another good one... You don't want it ever recorded for posterity that you said all those nasty things in slex :)
For all those reasons and may more, I'm surprised anyone wants to use voice at all. I prefer not to have my voice associated with who I am in the Real World, because Second Life is an opportunity for me to do things I would never do in RL.
I actually pity the people who forego remaining anonymous and don't try out different things without fear of RL reprisal. To me it indicates that they are either 1) unwilling or unable to be adventurous, 2) uncreative enough to know what they are missing, 3) too young to know that it *will* come back to haunt them in their future jobs, 4) too clueless to know that it *is* affecting their current job potential, 5) don't realize that someone is probably recording them because they can, 6) don't care that the world knows they are a vampire furry gorean herm who likes golden showers, or 7) that they have alts that don't use voice and they are hypocrits.
I could be wrong on all of this and none of the medical, social, business, or practical concerns of voice matters one whit and voice is the most amazing thing ever.
In my experience trying it, its not worth the $9 microphone at Walmart. And its certainly not worth me caring if someone like "Orchid" thinks I'm a "genuine" person. I think I'm far more genuine for trying all sorts of things and being the "true" me in SL rather than the phony person in RL who has to be "normal" to keep a job so she can eat and have a place to live - and then be the *exact same person* in SL.
Blech. You can keep your poorly animated replica of RL. If I wanted to be the RL me in SL - I'd just be the RL me in RL! I don't see the point of SL if you just use it to mimic RL - its a poor imitation at best.
I don't think anyone has to fear Voice. It's already available on very many sims these days, and it seems to rarely be used. Maybe because most people do not install the First Look viewers, not sure.
All I know is, sometimes I'll be out exploring SL, even run across a crowded dance club on a Voice enabled sim and still, no one is talking. There will still be plenty of people using text to communicate, so no worries.
And I've heard that Voice is run on separate servers, so should not increase lag. Of course, getting Voice to play well with SL seems a bit buggy at the moment, but still...
That being said, there sure are a lot of posts with reasons NOT to use Voice, and medical reasons aside (as there are just as many of those reasons why TEXT chat isn't the best method for some SL residents) how about trying to come up with some lists of reasons of why Voice can be a good thing?
From my experience testing the First Look Voice Viewer:
- SO much quicker than typing
- HEARING someone "lol" has a vastly improved dramatic impact than just reading "lol" (you'll have to experience that one in person to realize)
- Easier to learn how to swear in foreign languages when you hear the correct pronunciations first (although theoretically you can learn the rest of the language easier, as well, I suppose, heh)
- An actual possible DECREASE in sexual harrassment: all those things guys say to random women in IM's certainly were not heard in Voice chat at any time during my testing experience, believe it or not (a. they are either too timid or b. everyone else would hear how lame they sounded with their cheesy pick up lines)
- It's a better medium for holding an audience's attention while giving a class or lecture, for example
- I suppose it could actually AID in roleplaying, for those who want to really take on a role, such as a pirate or Monty Python cast off ;-)
- FAR LESS eye strain than reading all the chat history when speaking with a group of people with multiple conversations going on
- Reduced chance of words being taken out of context, I never had to explain a sarcastic comment, the tone of my voice conveyed my ill attempt at humour (bonus!)
Basically, I just don't think people should feel that Voice would prevent them from doing things in SL they would never do in RL. I guess I am surprised that one of the biggest fears is that Voice will mean that someone will identify your RL persona. I've been in SL since Feb and have only run into two people from anywhere close to where I live - and no, I didn't know either of them.
But no one is saying use Voice 100% of the time, SL isn't doing away with text chat capability - - just like you don't use group chat all the time now, and will often use IM's, correct? Well, continue to use IM's, group chat AND sometimes use Voice, whatever is appropriate for the situation. I hate talking on the phone in RL, but I gave Voice a chance in SL, and the convenience of it was quite impressive.
I don't know why you would automatically assume the major reasons a person wouldn't warm up to voice are identity-related. I happen to really like my voice and how I look in RL, but I don't think that it's anyone on SL's business. Especially strangers, which is who I mostly encounter on s day-to-day basis.
What about the possibility that I just don't like voice chat???
There are plenty of people who hate talking on the phone, and I believe I am their queen.
That said, love your blog and you girls. Just don't expect me to run into in-world and start voice-ing at you.
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