Metaplace secures funding for its virtual world
Metaplace, a company that plans on letting users build a virtual world and use social networking conventions to allow groups to enjoy them, announced today that it raised $6.7 million of funding in a round that was led by Charles River Ventures and Crescendo Ventures, as well as independent investors, Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz.
Somewhat similar to Second Life, Metaplace creates an online virtual world for people across the globe to interact with. But unlike Second Life and There.com, Metaplace uses an open platform to allow users to create, build, and live in their own unique virtual world. The company claims that it wants its users to create a "network of worlds--from community to games to education to business" that will allow people to collaborate, socialize, and "conduct commerce" as they do in the real world.
Metaplace is currently in private beta and has only allowed a few thousand people to use the service. But in the coming weeks, it will open the beta to more users in the hope that it will grow into a service that brings together the virtues of both virtual worlds and social networks.
Whether or not Metaplace can thrive where Second Life and There.com couldn't remains to be seen. The company's idea to create a virtual world has been done before and so far, competitors simply haven't been able to capitalize on a relatively inactive user base. Regardless, Metaplace thinks it will be different.
Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has written about everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Don is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and posts at The Digital Home. He is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure.
1.) LAG not users side but Linden Lab side of the data base........simulations ( or sims )running mono scripts that as suppose to speedup the sim up and increase population cory Linden brain child (which spelled the end of Cory Linden and Philip long term friendship). ONLINE population of 100,000+ anyone..........a dream that came crashing down duringthe summer of 2007........IBM MIT builders were suppose to handle all this.But hence never lead the users to the promise land...........Typical LL BS......
2.) Lost objects and scripts.100,000 and 100.000`s of them lost daily but LL that can`t be recovered....
3.) Companies tha pay LL money to sentup islands that hogup all the Costomer service and other billing and building matter......
4.) LL taboo with building Japanese islands ( even thou the population of said Japanese uasers are growing every month..... LL has 4 such Japanese populating simulations........ mobilefactory, melting dots, tokyozero , Nozomi...and smaller companies tha LL has been paid to build sites using the said name ( for the end purpose to have these companies believe their products and serives can reach users within Japan.( again all lies )...............The truth of the matter is LL is selling a product and leaching off the manga boom world wide to bring underage uses to its game. ( oh yes LL washes its hands of taking any legal blame for under age of 18 getting into the game.........But facts are LL knows there is a atleast 60% of it users being under 18 and doesnt do a darn thing about it.Why? Because LL knows Japanese Manga is the key to their making it or breaking their business model.........Whats worese is every Japanese island LL Build they claim its buildt by a japanes users. But again its a lie. counting sheep company that are a 3rd party based users of SL are those such builders......LL are the real owners of those said japanese sim. but only the companies japanese in ( in this case ).Are the payers to LL to build maintain and upkeep the sims for monies for placing their ads......LL has gone to exteme lies to tell the world how any countries have build simulations. But the sad fatcs is its all ads paid to them to use said product and service names. While LL , builds, upkeep said sims.....
5.) Buildt-in internet software is always being hacked.Passwords, raw data etc is being stolen on a daily bases..........Personal data is always leaking data to hackers and any given moment.......
Ok go Second Life and do your simulations etc.but like many have foundout its a waste of time man power and money.....