From: "ofer springer" <springer@cc.huji.ac.il>
Subject: Re: MISC: First use of "avatars", "virtual worlds"
Date: 30 Jan 1997 21:21:59 GMT
Message-ID: <01bc0ef3$8321bf40$19098b80@springer%tcc>
Organization: The hebrew University of Jerusalem


Mik Clarke <madoka.portsmouth.uk.ibm.com@@austin.ibm.com> wrote in article
<5c50ji$11fm@ausnews.austin.ibm.com>...
> In <32e3c9ee.5638828@news.airmail.net>, jfox@airmail.net (Jeff Fox)
writes:
> >On Fri, 17 Jan 1997 11:47:45 +0000, Robert Braham <r.braham@ieee.org>
> >wrote:
> >
> >>Anyone know who first used the word "avatars" and "virtual worlds" 
> >>in VR context?
> >>
> >Did "Habitat" count as a "virutal world"? I'm pretty sure you used an
> >"avatar" on QLINK's "Habitat".
> 
> There's a Japanese system based on commodore 64's (!) that uses avatars.
> Probably came out around mid-80s. I'm pretty certain I'd head it used in
terms
> of adventure games back in the 80s as well.
> 

the first to use the word avatar in a vr context was neal stephanson
in his book snowcrash (a great one i must add), the book had great
influance on the whole vr community and creators that loving this book
made companys name themselves blacksun and such.

while the word avatar is sourced there, vr is even older, forgot his
name but i guess the inventor of the vr media keyed the word...i know
he was a teenager at the time.

ofer springer