DIFFERENCES BETWEEN IM & 3D WORLDS.

Below I will explain in dot point the differences between both instant messages and three dimensional worlds, some of the things between the both are similar and other things are completely different.

• Most 3D worlds are not free of charge and you've got to sign up and pay a fee to be able to use their services; this is usually because they have special 'cyber events' where you can join in and participate in a real world kind of way, you can also design and personalise certain things like your avatar and purchase your own area that you can specialize to the way you want it, their are also heaps of different worlds that you can go to on the one site so that you can change the scenery that surrounds you. Instant Messenger programs usually do not have any of these features so are free of charge for the consumer to download, they do have avatars but you usually upload them from your personal computer.
• 3D worlds usually have a code of conduct that the users have to agree and obey by because they don't know the people they are communicating with online and some of those people may be offended by the content they display... Instant messenger programs usually don't have any of these rules as you usually know the person you are talking to before you add them to your account so know what may offend them or not.
• Businesses are able to advertise and sell products through 3D worlds where as they can usually only advertise through banners on other instant messenger programs.
• On IM programs you are able to appear offline at times when you don't want others to see you, you can still communicate with people you want to but others don't know you are doing this. On 3D worlds you sign in and then you are online if you want to appear offline you have to sign out completely so can not see who else is online and what is going on.
• Their is a different type of socializing that goes on with 3D worlds because you usually don't know the person so the basic get to know; who, what, where questions happen before you start to ask about life questions where as you know the people on IM because you have added them in the past and they are usually good friends so you ask them more personal/real life questions to basically socialize like in a real world way.
• The 3D aspect of cyber worlds does make a difference most of the time because it is like playing an online game except you can socialize with other characters, it's sort of like 'The Sims' video game except their is actually somebody else on the receiving end. You can also change things about your own character and change your surroundings.