There's an article that just came out in the Miami Herald about Millions of people are investing time — and money — in avatars in the online universe. It's interesting to see mug shots of people and the compare them to the avatars they create and operate in 3D Virtual Worlds like Second Life:
"…''There are tens of millions of people worldwide who live in virtual worlds and take them very seriously as a new means of entertainment, communication and social interaction,'' says Beth Coleman, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor of comparative media studies who is writing a book on virtual worlds and their occupants."
"..While most of the other Second Lifers Freedman/Ancient Shriner met were building virtual homes and acquiring virtual clothes and accessories for their avatars, Freedman built Second Life's first Masonic lodge."
There's also money to be made in Virtual Worlds:
"…One newer benefit of virtual living is money. ''There is a great deal to be made,'' says Jay Yabrough, who lives near Tampa."
I think it's been said that in a couple of years, the majority of people who go online will have at least one avatar in one of the virtual worlds:
"…Among the most popular virtual worlds: Second Life (secondlife.com), which has about 6.2 million residents; There (There.com), which has about 750,000; Whyville (Whyville.com), with 2.27 million, and Habbo Hotel (Habbo.com), which has about 50 million worldwide."
