This book is about interactive online communities, namely MUDs, chat rooms and 3-dimensional spaces. These are systems that allow several people to interact on a real-time basis over the Internet. Unlike the more passive activity of viewing a traditional Web site, these "virtual communities" require that multiple users be online at the same time. Over time, this can create a strong sense of community that will keep visitors coming back to a site again and again. This is the sort of thing Webmasters (and advertisers) love to see, so it's no surprise that chat is one of the most popular Web applications at the moment.
September 23, 1997
This book is well-written, and within its topic it is very comprehensive. The CD-ROM includes evaluation versions of 3 software package which exemplify the techniques discussed in the book: PerlMUD, The Palace, and Sony Community Place. The book has lots of nuts-and-bolts information on how to use these packages, as well as more general tips for creating a virtual community. The only beef I have with this book is that some may find the title misleading. Some use the term "virtual community" to refer simply to a group of people who use a particular Web site, and the title of this book may lead some to expect a discussion of all the various community-building tools that Web sites use, such as mailing lists, discussion groups, contests, etc etc. How to Program a Virtual Community does not address these topics, or the general concept of creating a community. The author describes a virtual community as one of 3 things: a MUD, a chat room, or a 3-D space. The focus is even further narrowed by the fact that the nuts and bolts programming information in the book refers only to one particular software package in each of these 3 categories. This book has very detailed information about the 3 packages mentioned above, as well as a good bit of more general information about MUDs, chat and 3D spaces, but a guide to "Virtual Communities" in the more general sense it is not. Note also that only eval copies of the software are included.
So what is a MUD, a MOO, coldMUD, tinyMUD, et al? A MUD (Multi-user Dungeon, or Multi-user Dimension) is a text-only interactive application that runs over the Internet. MUDs have been around since 1979 or so, and there are now many, running the gamut from game-like, Dungeons-n-Dragons worlds to more "socially" oriented groups. In a MUD, you can move from one room to another, and interact with the other inhabitants in various ways, all with text commands. A MOO (MUD object-oriented) adds a level of sophistication by providing a language which allows participants to design their own rooms, enlarging the world bit by bit. If you spend enough time in a MUD, you may become a "wizard," with extra powers, or even a "god."
"Chat" is a similar concept, with the addition of graphical elements. Instead of only text, a chat participant can see a picture of the room they are in, and the other inhabitants, or at least their Avatars. An avatar is your online personality, the image that you present to your virtual pals. Your avatar may be a smiley face or a purple dinosaur. Internet Relay Chat (IRC) is perhaps the most common chat system today.
A 3D world takes the idea one step further, providing a 3-dimensional world to explore, rather than static images. VRML is the name of the game here, and VRML is a rapidly-evolving scene at the moment. In a few years, we'll see very sophisticated 3D worlds with audio instead of text.
Should you choose a MUD, chat, or VRML? Each has its strengths and weaknesses, so it depends on what kind of a site you have, and what kind of an experience you are trying to create. Powers offers these guidelines:
"Choose a MUD when you want to create a medium-scale (50 to 300 person) long-term community with a strong sense of location and theme."
"Choose a chat room if you want to create a high-traffic community where participants talk about many site-related topics."
"Choose a 3-D space when you want a physical location for your community that supports exploration of a memorable shared location."
Powers includes chapters on developing a community in each of the 3 systems, including designing locations, avatars and activities. He also includes lots of advice on how to manage your new community, with plenty of code examples and hands-on lessons.
The book ends with an interesting discussion of the future of "virtual community," and the 5 building blocks thereof: location, avatars, activities, government and economy.
This is a well-focused, well-written book, and anyone interested in the types of "virtual community" discussed will find it worthwhile. As I mentioned, however, a more narrowly-focused title would have been better.
This book is well-written, and within its topic it is very comprehensive. The CD-ROM includes evaluation versions of 3 software package which exemplify the techniques discussed in the book: PerlMUD, The Palace, and Sony Community Place. The book has lots of nuts-and-bolts information on how to use these packages, as well as more general tips for creating a virtual community. The only beef I have with this book is that some may find the title misleading. Some use the term "virtual community" to refer simply to a group of people who use a particular Web site, and the title of this book may lead some to expect a discussion of all the various community-building tools that Web sites use, such as mailing lists, discussion groups, contests, etc etc. How to Program a Virtual Community does not address these topics, or the general concept of creating a community. The author describes a virtual community as one of 3 things: a MUD, a chat room, or a 3-D space. The focus is even further narrowed by the fact that the nuts and bolts programming information in the book refers only to one particular software package in each of these 3 categories. This book has very detailed information about the 3 packages mentioned above, as well as a good bit of more general information about MUDs, chat and 3D spaces, but a guide to "Virtual Communities" in the more general sense it is not. Note also that only eval copies of the software are included.