Project Alpha Horizon - Freedom through technology

[=MGN=RedEagle]

I thought I would share a little bit about a project that I’ve just started work on. My vision with Project Alpha Horizon is to create a virtual social network where people see each other face-to-face and interact personally. My hope is to get people together to do this in a way that protects people’s personal information and secures people’s right to be themselves online.

It’s my fundamental belief that our thoughts, our opinions and our expressions are our personal business alone.

“The right of the People to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

Everything I’m doing at this point is in the very early stages but I would cherish your feedback.

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Spoiler: Gaming & the Virtual World

Right now I’m working on researching the creation of an initial version of Project Alpha Horizon which will be released as a game. This might sound confusing to some people but I believe that gaming can play an essential role in connecting people on the internet. Casual social games can play a special role in connecting people who don’t know each other on the internet. It’s my belief that one of the reasons other virtual worlds have failed is their lack of embrace of gaming among many other things. When I speak of gaming on talking of very casual relaxed gaming that can be done while conversing with others.

 

[TPerry]

“The right of the People to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

Lofty ambition... I'm sure it'll go over well in China, Vietnam, N. Korea, Iran, and a few other locales.

 

[Newt]

Please don't take it the wrong way, but it will be "just another" virtual world on the www. Where users' behavior will be even easier to track than it is now, so the privacy/freedom point isn't valid.

I also grew up playing with/in virtual worlds, and shared your vision for quite some time. But "real life" is virtual enough, don't you think? Yet basically you want people to live in (yet another) reality, taking care of a brand new virtual planet, spending even more hours of their limited, remaining time building their virtual dreams out of their virtual hands while the real Earth is -and so are its people- suffering outside because of the virtual economy we are all contributing to?

So when you say "it has a huge potential" I guess that's more about earning cash out of it, than helping people get real. And it will only fuel the current, flawed system. Is that really what we all need?
How about helping "reality" evolve rather than enlisting people in a Matrix where they can disconnect even further from their own life. For that's no social, nor "face-to-face" interactivity. "People coming together as one" will not happen through a virtual game/world.
Especially if there is no outside world left to power the servers and computers..

Now, it's true, that inhabited planet is beautiful, and could remain so if you stop wrecking trucks down the hills

 

[RickM]

Honestly, I don't "get it". Thousands upon thousands of "different" social networks have existed, and do exist. The issue isn't what the social network has or does, it's getting people to use it. These days, without a massive (I.e $50m+) budget, you're nowhere.

Sadly potential is nothing these days. It's a buzzword that's been exhausted by failures. Even massively promoted "potential social networks" like ello are not succeeding anymore.

I do honestly wish you all the best with this. It'd be great if it could work, but sadly statistics are extremely against you.

 

[=MGN=RedEagle]

Lofty ambition... I'm sure it'll go over well in China, Vietnam, N. Korea, Iran, and a few other locales.

You're completely right, my hope will be to preserve the current liberty we have in the West and, where it's not opposed in the rest of the world.

Please don't take it the wrong way, but it will be "just another" virtual world on the www. Where users' behavior will be even easier to track than it is now, so the privacy/freedom point isn't valid.

I always appreciate feedback I can always benefit from it. You are right, virtual worlds are the greatest threat to our privacy we have ever seen. It's my fundamental belief that if our attitude toward privacy remains the same and a global virtual social network takes place we will have a combination that will create a catastrophe as far as privacy is concerned. The hope and the intention of the United States founding fathers as far as individual privacy will be gone once and for all. This is one of the most important reasons I feel compelled in this area, what if we created it and we encrypted it. I believe that we cannot stand idly by and watch those precious values the road right in front of our eyes.

I also grew up playing with/in virtual worlds, and shared your vision for quite some time. But "real life" is virtual enough, don't you think? Yet basically you want people to live in (yet another) reality, taking care of a brand new virtual planet, spending even more hours of their limited, remaining time building their virtual dreams out of their virtual hands while the real Earth is -and so are its people- suffering outside because of the virtual economy we are all contributing to?

I believe that a virtual social network has tremendous real life value. I don't want to create another second life I want to create a world in which people use their real names and real identity to connect with friends family and coworkers. Just imagine for example the incredible value of virtual world could bring to education, you would no longer be driving a car to a school building to meet with the teacher. Rather professional assistance would be at hand appearing and disappearing when you need them on demand to answer questions with no marginal cost no buildings no roads and no vehicles. Be patient with me as I am grossly summarizing what is a much bigger vision and project in very few sentences.

Right now I'm debating and researching the idea and I think it has some potential as a social network for gamers to start. I imagine a world were every piece of clothing in every building is built by a person and therefore we're going to need a good amount of creative input from creative people. Imagine a game where you begin as a carpenter or taylor or metal worker and you do this to create products used by other people in the virtual world. Eventually, you'll be doing that and creating real value for those who are using the virtual world for real world applications such as collaboration and teamwork for a work project. The idea of contributing to such a virtual world has been tremendously popular with those I've brought it before in my gaming social networks even if the real world application is not there. The gamers in my gaming social network are tremendously excited and supportive and spending hundreds of hours on the servers and network's I'm creating.

"People coming together as one" will not happen through a virtual game/world.
Especially if there is no outside world left to power the servers and computers..

I'm not sure were in danger of seeing no outside world left to power the servers and computers.

Now, it's true, that inhabited planet is beautiful, and could remain so if you stop wrecking trucks down the hills

Lol

Honestly, I don't "get it". Thousands upon thousands of "different" social networks have existed, and do exist. The issue isn't what the social network has or does, it's getting people to use it. These days, without a massive (I.e $50m+) budget, you're nowhere.

Sadly potential is nothing these days. It's a buzzword that's been exhausted by failures. Even massively promoted "potential social networks" like ello are not succeeding anymore.

I do honestly wish you all the best with this. It'd be great if it could work, but sadly statistics are extremely against you.

I'm glad you said that because I'm a fundamental disbeliever in the idea of if you build it they will come. Luckily marketing is what I love to do.
I see what you're saying about social networks like ello. I feel like some people are reinventing what's already been invented and therefore providing no extra value. The other social network that comes to mind is Google Plus which is so much like Facebook.

Second life is probably the closest we have come to having a virtual social network that works. However it was designed as an escape from reality where Project Alpha Horizon is created to extend reality. I believe the hard part is not seeing the value but creating it in the first place.

 

[Newt]

I understand your points, but it just can't be anything safe on the www for the very reason that its code is ever-changing. And freedom is but an illusion... especially online.
Indeed gamers can only get thrilled at the idea to live in another virtual world
Now it seems that Second Life 2 (or whatever the new name they'll pick) is expected for 2016... as a virtual social network.

I'm not sure were in danger of seeing no outside world left to power the servers and computers.

Wait & see 'till you can't miss it

Your project sure is an adventure. As for what extra value it could provide to its users, I can't think of anything that has not already been done, but hey, who knows. I like surprises.
I sincerely wish you all the best in your endeavours.

 

[=MGN=RedEagle]

I understand your points, but it just can't be anything safe on the www for the very reason that its code is ever-changing. And freedom is but an illusion... especially online.
Indeed gamers can only get thrilled at the idea to live in another virtual world
Now it seems that Second Life 2 (or whatever the new name they'll pick) is expected for 2016... as a virtual social network.

Second Life is already out, they’re just making a new version. I don’t think there’s any potential for Second Life to be globally used for practical applications at this point. I think if you look at their advertisements you will understand what I mean. In my view they have embraced the vices that can occur in virtual social networks and made that their main value proposition.

I think a perfectly reasonable person could say to George Washington that his idea of beating the British is an illusion. Freedom is too precious in my opinion for us not to find an option. We have to find a way to make sure the Internet goes on for generations to come to be a great benefit to people and not a burden on them. In my opinion online interaction and real-life interaction will soon merge to a point were not standing for the one is not standing for the other. All of us have the right to think, explore, believe and express ourselves as we wish but only a few of us have the freedom to do so. I think we should contribute to the debate at least.

Wait & see 'till you can't miss it

Your project sure is an adventure. As for what extra value it could provide to its users, I can't think of anything that has not already been done, but hey, who knows. I like surprises.
I sincerely wish you all the best in your endeavours.

Other than a scenario in which a comet hits the earth or a nuclear war begins people will have and run Internet servers. That’s my opinion.