As someone who is becoming increasingly virtualized, where I work – my office – is similarly evolving. I often generate concepts using a Wacom tablet, create virtual models in CAD software which get sent overseas for manufacturing, and process my paperwork in MS Office/OpenOffice. I’ve had a 3D virtual office – of a sort – inside Second Life since last year, but security issues keep me from exploiting the potential of that space for now. So basically I’m caught in two worlds, and because of that I find all of this to be a bit of a mess. Actually, a big mess. Change usually is and this is all a pretty big change from what I did only a few years ago.

So it’s with obvious interest that I caught a slideshow on C|Net for “Microsoft’s workplace of the future (Link). On first look, I’m underwhelmed. Perhaps because it looks like what I could do today and doesn’t get into some of the other things that are of greater concern. I’ll need to review it again though; perhaps after I give some additional thought to a new entry on Terra Nova, “The Virtual Office” (Link). If you’re in the same boat as me, you might want to give it a look and follow the comments – they’re usually well-informed and insightful. But right now I need to get some food. My avatar is hungry.