Some thoughts following setting up an avatar and visiting 3 today

[1] There.com
Could download it onto desktop and could straightaway get going with avatar, no additional drivers, cards etc reqired. Did need to spend money to change basic outfit. Easy to chat, VOIP available but one off additional cost. Quick and easy to navigate. Currency and commercial options available, can create stuff and resell. Not as wide usage as 2L.

[2] Second Life.
Doesn’t download / work with current desktop.
Similar to There, graphics better, more interactivity but not that much different. VOIP free. Particle Lab and Infolit very good examples of what can be done especially Particle lab.

You can download notes (like flashcards) with information on, touch things, move things, very interactive but without other people, its like visiting an exhibition or museum by yourself.

In hour or so, because I had done There.com first, was able to navigate fairly easy - more fidelity with graphics in terms of moving - i.e. if I don’t land carefully I fall over in a realistic way.

Need more time to explore both, but 1 hour was enough for me to cover basics of ‘dressing’, moving, talking via text chat and visiting other areas using teleport function.

In both There and Second Life, can take pictures of places visiting and save to desktop. RSS feeds of events available in There, didn’t get time in Second Life to see if same.

[3] Multiverse.nettechnology platform - need to explore in more detail, went into Times Square briefly, you choose a character before you go in, at moment, no choice over appearance, some realistic graphics, but need to revist before evaluating, movement seemed fairly realistic in terms of walking.