Image by Beth Kanter

Here's a great new item for the Jargon File:  "mixed-reality event."  When I first saw this term, I thought, "Hey, isn't that what occurs whenever any two sentient beings interact?"

However, it turns out that according to Wikipedia, mixed-reality "is the merging of real world and virtual worlds to produce a new environment where physical and digital objects can co-exist and interact."  For example, a mixed-reality event can take place simultaneously in real life and Second Life.

On July 18th, there will be a mixed-reality mash-up that should be fascinating for all of us who are interested in technology for the nonprofit sector.

In the mix will be:

A real life Net Tuesday gathering
Tuesday, July 18th, 6:00 to 8:00 pm (Pacific time)
322 Ritch Street, 2nd Floor
San Francisco, CA

A Second Life gathering
Tuesday, July 18th, 6:00 to 8:00 pm (Pacific time)
TechSoup's satellite office on Second Life

Susan Tenby, TechSoup's online community manager, and Jeska Dzwigalski,  Linden Lab's community manager, will present a tour that will include TechSoup's satellite office. They will also launch the new directory of nonprofit organizations that have venues in the Second Life world. The mixed-reality event will  also feature a number of guest speakers from organizations who are actively working in the Second Life community to better achieve their organization's missions. The event will include displays of audio/video footage of both the San Francisco and the Second Life gatherings.

I strongly recommend this event to anyone in the nonprofit sector who would like to know more about virtual reality but is perplexed about how it can be relevant to his/her work.  Susan Tenby is an excellent guide.

It's possible to take snapshots in Second Life.  Displayed above is one taken by Beth Kanter, which shows her hanging out with Emily W. and me at TechSoup's satellite office.  Note the matching TechSoup t-shirts that we are wearing!

A few recommended links for nervous novices:

To sign up for a free Second Life account

To download the latest Second Life software

Local real life Net Tuesday/Netsquared meetups

Upcoming.Org's listing of the July 18th mixed reality event

TechSoup's satellite office on Second Life

The Second Life Wiki, with information for newcomers

An article on "Real Virtuality in your Second Life and beyond"

        This article was originally published in my blog, "Technology for the Nonprofit and Philanthropic Sector," under a Creative Commons  Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License.