What has the world come to !!!

Fools, money, you know the rest.

-Zeke

People have been trading in "virtual" commodities for decades, and this isn't so far removed. The article points out that this is an investment on which the buyer is likely to see a good return - so why not?

I have to wonder when these virtual environments will start to be officially regulated!

Rob

Sure, and buying into a stock frenzy is a good idea until the market bursts.

It's beany babies really, but it takes up less space.

I'm sure some people will make money off this stuff, but I also know plenty more will lose it. I'm not saying it should be illegal, far from it - it's your money do with it as you will. I just think it's foolish.

I'm sure everything will be ducky until the next must-play cool MPRPG (or whatever the acronym is) comes along and suddenly your 'fortune' is worthless as the buyers have disappeared.

-Zeke

There are places that trade in the virtual economies of all the MMORPGs. You can exchange your EQ money for WoW money, for example. Which helps alleviate some of the when-it-becomes-worthless part of it.

Aah yes, Fool's First Virtual Trust Co.!

Seriously, I understand the enjoyment of the fantasy/RPG part of it, and I understand that we virtualize money all the time (do I really have dollars in some 'account'?, no just bits on a computer's tally someplace); but giving away real money for unregulated virtual property is, in my book, quite insane.

Of course I'm not a derivatives trader either...

-Zeke

It's a risk for sure. But all investments are, albeit some more so than others. However, the idea of making money of playing a game is a highly appealing concept, though I wonder how fulfilling it would be in practice? How big is the gap between successfully speculating a piece of virtual space and being able to throw a baseball really fast (or curvy, or whatever else makes a good baseball pitcher)?

Well, at least that has some imagination in it...In my day we came up with....Pet Rocks!!! Now talk about a scam...selling a rock in a box....Marketing at it's best(worst?)...

And who out there remembers ...The Nutty Knotter!?!? That is what happens if you don't have computers or mp3 players!!!

I'm curious to know what it takes to get one's virtual real estate license.

Anyone want to start the bidding on a virtual Empeg Mk. 111?

...with a virtual vanity plate.

-Zeke

Why "sad" ? Everything we see comes from our eyes, ears and hands (and some more, my english isn't as good as I wish). So why not taking virtual holidays or even (much safer) virtual sex? Hmm, no, sex isn't good for being just virtual ;-). But what differences do you keep in mind when comaparing a real holiday with a virual holiday where you can do the same as in real life?

Many people here in the forum are already living more virtual than real by having the 19" world with true colors just in from of them more than 12 hours a day (me, too).

Don't we communicate more with our fingers pressed on the keyboard than with real people? Don't you remember a friend more with his face on the livecam on your 19"-screen than in real live at the street? Don't you decide more to reply on a mail than picking up your ringing phone (unless it's an IP-call)?

>Anyone want to start the bidding on a virtual Empeg Mk. 111?

Why not? If I could telnet to it, get music from it and so on...

My wife got her own computer right next to mine to be able to communicat with me ;-)

Or...

.. or do I need a doctor?

Rolf

(sad because not knowing of the auction and didn't place a bid)

- not to be taken too seriously ;-) -