Ursula Le Guin's appearance in Second Life

Ursula Le Guin's reading in Second Life

Wow! It really happened. We had two way video and audio between Second Life and Ursula Le Guin’s reading at the Potlatch 18 conference being held in Sunnyvale, CA, yesterday, as one of Second Life’s Talis Sci-Fi & Fantasy Portal’s monthly author readings.   

 

I had my doubts going into it. We had lots of problems during Friday’s technical run-through, when we were testing, and I know from many previous experiences the lag problems that can ruin an event in Second Life when more than a few avatars attend. However, none of my fears came true. The event went flawlessly, thanks largely to the skilled, hard-working technical staff from Linden Labs and the Domain Hotel, where the event was taking place.

 

Ms. Le Guin read from her novel Always Coming Home as well as reading several of her poems. I was trying to follow her while watching for technical glitches and taking pictures of the event, not easy while also trying to listen to her reading.  Le Guin is one of my favorite sci-fi authors. After hearing her reading yesterday, I definitely plan to read Always Coming Home.

 

After the reading, she took questions from her two audiences, the audience in front of her at Potlatch 18, and the audience watching from Second Life, alternating between them, and Second Life participants submitting questions by IM that were then relayed to Ms Le Guin. It was a rare opportunity for her fans to ask her questions directly, and the Second Life audience was enthusiastic about it.

 

This is the first time one of the Portal’s monthly author appearances was an author appearing in person, via streaming video, rather than with an avatar. I found it exciting and hope it can be done again. My thanks go to Linden Labs for their hard work in making it happen.

For more info: Send email to apollomanga@gmail.com