Day: July 22, 2011

Google’s bosses want G+ to “replicate real life”

Posted on by Inara Pey

As Botgirl Questi reports, the reason things have been so topsy-turvy on Google+ (some pseudonymous accounts being suspended then being reinstated; others being suspended and remaining so, others apparently being removed), appears to have gained some clarification.

It appears, to precis, that Google wants G+ to mimic how “ordinary people” interact in the real world.

Wow.

So innovation has now become a matter of mimicking, rather than enhancing or actually, well, being innovative. Givem all the possible options Google could opt to take when looking at building a genuinely innovative, progressive and encompassing social platform, the one that claim to have opted for seems to be little more than a wimp-out.

Obviously, there are clear reasons for this – as Tateru Nino commented the other day – in relation to capturing those who have been engaged in Facebook. This is also the possibility that Google’s conservative approach is because most people are, well, conservative, when it comes to making friends in RL. But in taking this approach, the fact is that Google is hardly likely to set the world alight – and they may actually be aware of this, hence the current flip-flopping over the matter of pseudonymity we’re currently seeing in terms of some accounts being reinstated as the beta progresses.

Even so, one cannot help but think that in taking up this stance, Google are potentially leaving a very large opportunity open for someone else to take-up.

Botgirl Questi closes her post with a quote from Marshall McLuhan regarding looking back at the future. I’d like to add my own to it, this one from Jim Steinman and made famous by one Marvin Lee Aday. It may not be as illustrious as the quote from McLuhan, but it still tends to sum Google’s position up:

Objects in the rear-view mirror may appear closer than they are.

Virtual conference for disability rights

Posted on by Inara Pey

Virtual Ability, the first winner of the Linden Prize in 2009, will be holding the International Disability Rights Affirmation Conference in Second Life this weekend (July 23-24th). The aim of the international conference is to “begin to explore legal protections around the world for persons with disabilities.”

Panels will discuss local legislation that supports the rights of persons with disabilities, with panelists attending from Australia, Belgium, Costa Rica, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, the US and the UK, and include:

  • Scott Gill, Executive Director of Access 2 independence, a Center for Independent Living in Iowa, US, who will be discussing the independence movement
  • Simon Walsh, from the UK; who will be comparing the US ADA legislation with the UK’s DDA
  • Sister Abeyante a Salvatorian Sister, who will be discussing advocacy for disability (civil and human) rights
  • Roberta Walker Kilkenny, a college instructor; who will be making a presentation on significance of the UN Convention.

Other organisations attending the event include: the National Service Inclusion Project and the Job Accommodation Network.

Commenting on the conference, Alice Krueger, president of Virtual Ability, Inc., stated: “It is a great pleasure to host so many wonderful speakers. Our audience will gain information about the extent of the issues facing people with disabilities, and the potentials for solutions to barriers.”

Further Information