Why and how would Second Lifers expand into the hypergrid?

[Selby Evans]

Why and how would Second Lifers expand into the hypergrid?

That is the title of a presentation I am preparing for a meeting of the Non-Profit Consortium in SL. I will include a report on the new Kitely Welcome Center and efforts in Kitely to help people from SL begin exploring the Hypergrid.

I would like to give them specific information on how they can get tutoring, mentoring, or live assistance on arrival at Kitely. We have some groups wanting to help people coming into Kitely and some people who volunteer to help at the KWC. Are there any specific times when the will be volunteer greeters at the KWC? If so I will pass on that information.

I will recommend to them that they join the Kitely Community group, introduce themselves and ask for any help they need. Since the Joiner panel on the current KWC is hard for new people to find, I will give them this firestorm hop (along with instructions on using it):
[url]hop://grid.kitely.com:8002/Kitely%20Welcome%20Center/40/122/24[/url]

Is there anything else I should tell them? I will ask the audience if there is anything else we can do to help people get started in the hypergrid community.

[Don Smith]

Hi!
Your doing this is, let me find the right word here....... hmm, lets just use, AWESOME! If i could recommend anything, it would be to present this like a Sales presentation. Highlight the Advantages of using Kitely and the HG in general vs the problems in SL, Like the differences in general social populations, meaning people in Kitely are far less here for adult internet sex, and more here for positive social interactions on a more adult scale, they dont usually cause others problems < Very Low grieving problems >, and that this environment is such a Huge advantage over SL for things like meetings, schools, lectures, theater, arts of all kinds, building , scripting, and all without much of the negative social drama found in SL commonly. Then i would Close the deal by reminding them how much LESS Kitely costs to do anything! So its 1) a better environment for what they do, and 2) Its super cost effective and just as accessible as SL for all there members.
You may very well already have this part done and ready, I only hope this suggestion helps in any way! I have begun thinking to find effective ways to, simply put, "Advertise" cost effectively, why people should use the OS and kitely. With the virtual reality market exploding over the next few years, there has to be a way for Kitely and the OS in general to grow as well, as many VR users will be Hungry for new places to explore. How do we cost effectively let large numbers of people, not just VR users or just SL users know this is here and what if offers? I don't have an answer for that yet, but i am working on it.
Here is a "sales tip" << Not that you need one! >> " Present information as if the receivers are a bunch of 5 year olds. If a 5 yr old could easily understand your presentation then at least 95% of the audience will retain your information. If your presentation is not that easy to understand, then much like a bunch of 5 yr olds, you loose there attention quickly and they retain almost nothing."
Again, I only hope this helps. You are a walking plethora of HG information and technologies, its easy to take for granted people know more then they do about what you are presenting. I always try to use the K.I.S.S system, Keep It Simple Stupid. I am not always good at it, lol, but i know its importance!

Keep up the Great Job Selby, I think many of us across the HG would be lost without you!

[Freda Frostbite]

Selby, I am on the way out to go swimming or I would take the time to answer right now. If you send me your email address, I will give you access to the greeters' schedule. Also, please know that The U is up and running. Still needs some things but ready to be useful. In addition, anyone who wants me to meet them inworld for help getting acclimated can email me offline at FredaFrostbite@gmail.com. I am almost always available by email.

Also, Don is right. FIVE-YEAR-OLDS. IOW, Keep it simple and make sure the main points you want to make are painfully obvious. My parents, who were both teachers, told me (when I became a professor) that a good teacher always has 20 ways planned to teach any simple concept -- 20! -- And to assume that students will hear only one word out of 20 and read even fewer. My mother cautioned that, in some cases, even the 20 ways won't be enough. She was quite articulate on the point that people are not very bright when they are in a hurry and they are always in a hurry.

Don is also right about the economic avantages to opensim over SL.

Also-- Community. Of course, there are communities in SL, but they are separate and distinct. In Kitely, everyone is a potential friend or helper.

[Serene Jewell]

Wonderful to hear you will doing this presentation, Selby!

For help getting into Kitely
I am working on a new user introduction to Kitely at: http://signofthekite.com/kitely-welcome-information/
And there are the excellent videos at http://www.newmediaarts.org/home/projec ... ll-travel/
The official "How to Enter Kitely" page is at: https://kitely.atlassian.net/wiki/displ ... ual+Worlds

Once people are in world
The new KWC will have A Welcome Starter Pack with landmarks, free avatars, and information boards.

The volunteer greeters do organize themselves on a calendar, Freda can give you access, but I don't think it is public. However, I understand there will be a Greeter Board at the new KWC which will show the Greeters who are online at the time and the visitor can push a call button to summon them. Looking at the calendar right now, there are 7 volunteer greeters signed up who cover about 12 hours a day.

Many people are available to answer questions on the Kitely Community Chat.

As Freda mentioned, there is a new region called "The U". It is officially opening up next week I believe! It is a pathway of introductory information for newbies will help them get on their feet.

[Freda Frostbite]

Yes, The U will be available to all comers and has 10 mentors onboard at this time. There online/offline boards are on the site inworld.

[Selby Evans]

Thanks, everyone, for these helpful suggestions. I will be posting a blog article about the presentation soon after it is done. If you are in Second life and would like to get a copy of the materials, contact Thinkerer Melville.