As most virtual conference organizers know, one of the hardest things to do in virtual worlds is to collect statistics. Websites have gotten us used to the idea that this is a simple matter of just running a statistics package and off we go. For conferences like VWBPE, however, the numbers quite often tell a different story; these things need to be looked at in parts rather than as a whole. The trends through the years the conference is run are what imply significance.
The estimates provided are based upon statistical packages that are specific to each environment. We did not attempt to eliminate duplicate logins by the same person using different technologies. In other words, while we can tell you how many people visited our OSGrid location, we can’t tell you how many of the same people also visited our Second Life conference venue.
2014 Estimates
| Second Life | OSGrid | LiveStream | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Unique Visitors | 3400 | 100 | 1000 |
| Highest Concurrency | 446 | 30 | 550 |
| Average Concurrency | 92 | n/a | n/a |
Total Comparison
| Second Life | OSGrid | LiveStream(*) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 2200 | 50 | 300 |
| 2012 | 2100 | n/a | 300 |
| 2011 | 2400 | n/a | 300 |
| 2010 | 2100 | n/a | 300 |
| 2009 | 3600 | n/a | 300 |
(*) Includes LiveStream, Metaverse.tv, and Treet.tv. Statistics were not available for all media suppliers.
Obviously, there is a continuing interest in educational best practices as applied to virtual immersive environments. The numbers certainly bear this out.
Each year, VWBPE tries to raise the bar by introducing targeted keynotes, formal peer review, better streaming capabilities, journal proceedings, and more interactive demonstrations and workshops. With CROSSROADS in March 2015, we will work to continue this trend of being one of our biggest and best conferences ever. We look forward to seeing everyone next year.
March 18-21, 2015: CROSSROADS