9 de agosto de 2011

Second Life Typewriters

This is on a - in typewriter history terms - recent topic, but it might soon be part of cyber-history. Who of your remembers the hype when Second Life was launched? Short definition: "Second Life provides an online society within a 3D world, where users can explore, build, socialize and participate in their own economy, essentially a 3 dimensional social networking site in which people create avatars (alter-egos) and explore/create the world of Second Life."

Following up on the typosphere's robot week, I was wondering about the existence of typewriters in this virtual world, and this is what I found:

A mere 200 Lindendollars on the Second Life marketplace would buy you a  "Capalini" typewriter, carrying Malling Hansen's "writing ball" in the 21st century:


For a fully refurbished retro-office, you would go for the Black Rose Antique Typewriter Desk Set (L$200):


The *SLD* Typewriter for L$250 promises a "high detailed model" with "show if you type" (sic!):


Second to last discovery, an interesting project by Angrybeth in which a giant typewriter located in Second World can be operated by users and spills out messages to "real world" twitter:


The Giant Typewriter
The Giant Typewriter in Second Life's Pencil factory (source)
The SLtypewriter project on twitter as of 2011-08-09
Finally, Second Life reaching back into reality: Dreamer, below in the picture, "pushed the laptop to the side and brought the old machine out of the attic to type this article  - just for realism!" upon hearing the news of the Indian typewriter factory shutting down. Read her experience here.

Dreamer


source
Out in the park now!
  

3 comentarios:

  1. There is something very captivating, yet disturbing, about the idea of having typewriters on Second Life.

    Having participated in that site a few years ago -- a total time-sucker! -- I do see the attraction that typewriters would have on SL.

    But it sort of defeats the whole purpose of typewriters in the first place, doesn't it? -- the very satisfying act of striking the keys in REAL LIFE, experiencing all the sounds, and even the smells of an old machine.

    And then for this SL person to blog about this, is even further removed from the real thing.

    Fascinating! But I won't "go there".

    ResponderBorrar
  2. Thank you for your comment Cameron!

    ResponderBorrar