| Working in a "virtual world" should be no less | | | | using free voice and text chat. |
| professional than showing up at a brick and | | | | Many other casual and business-focussed virtual |
| mortar building. It can seem fun to try on an | | | | meeting platforms are being developed to meet |
| avatar alter ego, but when your avatar | | | | the growing need and most seem to be free for |
| represents you in the business arena the need for | | | | users. Outerworlds offers its user the opportunity |
| a professional persona remains. This is particularly | | | | to drop in for a chat or explore its many |
| true when an avatar is used as a representative | | | | community and privately owned worlds with |
| of your employer. | | | | themes that are limited only by the imagination. |
| With the ever increasing need to cut costs, virtual | | | | ActiveWorlds professes to be "the web's most |
| meetings are becoming more popular to address | | | | powerful virtual world's experience, letting you |
| rising travel expenses. Popular Web conferencing | | | | visit and chat in incredible 3D worlds that are built |
| tools include: WebEx Meeting Center, PlaceWare | | | | by other users." |
| Conference Center, Raindance Web Conferencing | | | | Whether meeting in the virtual world to facilitate |
| Pro 5.0, Genesys Meeting Center, and Centra | | | | business conferences or just for fun, careful |
| Conference 5.0. | | | | thought should be put into how your avatar |
| Then there are the 3D virtual worlds like Second | | | | represents who you are and/or who you are |
| Life which represent the next generation of virtual | | | | representing. |
| conferencing tools; it is a free 3D virtual world | | | | What's your favourite 3D Virtual World? |
| where users can socialize, connect and create | | | | |