VIEWING VERSU (Updated)

Versu Richilieu has gone live behind a glass case, both in an undisclosed location in Second Life, and on the corner of 39th Street and 5th Avenue of New York City, showcasing both the Intel Core Duo processor, and the ability to mix reality on the fly with nothing but a laptop to bridge both worlds.

Watch both versions of Versu at this site.  Dual streams run there for the next 62 hours or so of this experiment, with live reports at the Millions of Us blog.

Late this morning, I stopped by to talk with Versu's virtual version, and asked her what she thought of it so far. "It is sinking in that I can't leave," she told me laughing, perhaps a bit uneasily.

"You only been there a few hours, yeah?"

"Mm hmmm, six and a half."

"What are people on the street doing as they pass?"

"Staring mostly.  [I'm] using hand signals to explain what I am doing to two nice ladies at the window."

When I visited the live video feed from New York, a large cheeful dude in a blue shirt was standing next to the window, dancing.  Grinning, the real world Versu obliged with a few shimmies from her chair.  I captured a stillshot from the feed, and uploaded into Second Life, bringing us this:

Real world Versu next to avatar Versu, building together, trapped for the next three days in their own enclosed reality.

Event produced by Millions of Us, a sponsor of this blog.

Update, 11:27pm: By "undisclosed location", I didn't mean Versu was hanging out with the virtual Dick Cheney.  She's in a private sim invisible to the grid.  To request access, send an IM to Rodica MillionsofUs.  (Thanks to Elle Pollack for the catch.)

Update, 10/13: In Comments, Paolo points out a Rocketboom segment devoted to Versu's adventure.

Comments

[Torley]

First thing I thot when seeing this: this is like some David Blaine shiznit, but without the ice water... and BETTER! :D

I have wishful hopes footage gathered from this can be turned into a timelapse enjoyment to watch the building being constructed.

[Jennyfur]

Another pointless spoke in the wheel of the metaverse.

[That Last Comment]

What the heck is "the wheel of the metaverse", and how are any spokes in any wheel pointless? Your comment is inaccurate, mean-spirited, and incomprehensible. Congrats.

[Jennyfur]

Tell me why I am supposed to care about it though? I wouldn't say that I am being mean-spirited or anything - I guess I am just not that easy to impress.

I guess I should have joined with the rest of the omgthisisokewlcrowd. Ay well ye' live and ye' learn.

[Pie]

I think I can play a bit of the devils advocate for Torley and Jennyfur.
Having known Versu from before she was Versu and knowing she has gone from someone who had a vague idea of how to resize a photo in Paint to this mindblowingly fast reproduction of the world around her fishbowl, I can say I am sincerely impressed and applaude Versu wildly for this feat.
But it is kinda gimmick-y and not really the best showcase for the incredible possiblities of SL, it's talented developers, or even the Intel Duo-whatever.
The gimmick is what is pointless. The way SL can bring out and make blossom creativity and talent is what will get overlooked.

[Jennyfur]

I meant no offense to Versu, because she does in fact rock and she is a great person both in SL and RL. That being said the whole thing is gimmicky in the same way that you explained.