IBM and Linden Lab began work on technology that would let users move a single avatar between multiple virtual worlds. At the time, services such as Second Life, Entropia and Gaia required separate identities and avatars.
A secure transaction system was one of the partnership’s main goals. The companies also planned interfaces connecting virtual worlds to existing web applications and databases.
The project formed part of a wider discussion about interoperability standards for 3D worlds. More than 20 companies participated in the meeting where the initiative was announced, including Cisco, Microsoft and Sony.
The proposed architecture aimed to reduce dependence on individual world operators while allowing identity and activity to cross service boundaries.
