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IMVU is a graphical instant messaging client with more than 1 million users.[1] Currently, it is in public beta, and has been available since April 01, 2004. It is developed by IMVU, Inc., founded by Will Harvey, a video game developer and founder of There. Image File history File links IMVU.png Summary IMVU icon Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...
Image File history File links IMVU_logo. ...
Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ...
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A software release refers to the distribution, whether public or private, of an initial or new and upgraded version of a computer software product. ...
An operating system (OS) is the software that manages the sharing of the resources of a computer and provides programmers with an interface used to access those resources. ...
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Computer software can be organized into categories based on common function, type, or field of use. ...
// Instant messaging (IM) is a form of real-time communication between two or more people based on typed text. ...
In computing, a client is a system that accesses a (remote) service on another computer by some kind of network. ...
A software license is a legal agreement which may take the form of a proprietary or gratuitous license as well as a memorandum of contract between a producer and a user of computer software. ...
The term Freeware refers to gratis proprietary software with closed source. ...
A website (alternatively, Web site or web site) is a collection of Web pages, images, videos or other digital assets that is hosted on one or several Web server(s), usually accessible via the Internet, cell phone or a LAN. A Web page is a document, typically written in HTML...
// Instant messaging (IM) is a form of real-time communication between two or more people based on typed text. ...
In computing, a client is a system that accesses a (remote) service on another computer by some kind of network. ...
Software development stages In computer programming, development stage terminology expresses how the development of a piece of software has progressed and how much further development it may require. ...
Will Harvey (born ~1967) is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and game programmer who first made his mark in the video game industry when he was just fifteen and still in high school. ...
There is a 3-D online virtual world created by Will Harvey and Jeffrey Ventrella. ...
The primary focus of IMVU is the ability to use personalized 3D avatars and environments that let the user interact with the person they are chatting with. The secondary focus of IMVU is allowing the members to develop content that can be purchased by other members for use in personalizing their avatars and environments. This article is about process of creating 3D computer graphics. ...
Example of an avatar as used on internet forums. ...
IMVU features
Avatar Imvu is 3d graphical instant messanger client, but it shares several features with other virtual world. IMVU users are represented by an Avatar (often abbreviated to avi and avie). The basic avatar is human. Avatars may be of either sex and they may be clothed or otherwise customized to produce a wide variety of humanoid and other forms. The most part of items created by IMVU users are clothes, hair, eyes and other props that members can buy for their avatar appearance. This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
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Communication As a 3d graphical instant messaging IMVU supports easy and real-time communication to its members. Once users are running their IMVU clients, they can be reached by other members in their private rooms, and together they can start chat sessions. Chat sessions require permission by each member. So you can't enter into private/personal space without the owner's permission. // Instant messaging (IM) is a form of real-time communication between two or more people based on typed text. ...
Rooms Chat sessions usually take place in rooms. Rooms are virtual places owned by IMVU users, where people can visit and meet friends. While in rooms, IMVU users can move their avatars around the room. Avatars can't walk, so to change their location, users have to move them, by clicking the mouse on yellow dots on objects.
Public Rooms Recently, IMVU publishers have introduced Public Rooms. Public Rooms are rooms publicly visible and usable by members. Before public rooms, IMVU users could't visit other rooms without the permission of the room owners. Public Rooms radically change the experience of IMVU and represent a first step towards the change of IMVU into a more complex virtual environment
Membership IMVU membership is free, allowing users to register an avatar name, utilize the 3D chat client, purchase virtual content, and customize a homepage. Free accounts are denoted by the prefix 'Guest_'. Users can purchase their avatar name to remove the 'Guest_' prefix, and to participate in the content creation program. To buy an account name, the base price is $8.00. Access to restricted material is limited to accounts that have purchased an Access Pass. A personal homepage is a web site belonging to one person. ...
Economy IMVU contains its own economy with a currency system based on IMVU credits. The credits are used by members to purchase virtual items like fashion pieces (hair, clothes, skins, and accessories), pets, and 3D scenes. Credits can be purchased via a variety of payment methods, through IMVU or third-party resellers. Additionally, IMVU provides free promotional credits to encourage member participation and referrals.
A primary element of IMVU's economy is member-created content; consequently, IMVU allows members to participate in the Content Creator Program. Members can use IMVU provided software utilities to create virtual products, and can sell their products by listing them in the online IMVU product catalog. Content creators earn credits when their items are sold and are allowed to resell the credits they earn.
Adult Content Policies
Access Pass Controversy The Access Pass, or AP as many users refer to it, has been a source of controversy in the IMVU community. It was originally intended to allow access to non-"Restricted" content. Many users bought it in to access mature or "Adult" content. Due to concerns expressed by their payment processors, IMVU recently changed its Terms of Service to disallow "Adult" content in IMVU, terming it "Unfit for IMVU" or UFI. "Restricted" content was consequently limited to content similar to that allowed in an R-rated movie. As "Adult" content had been previously submitted, sold, and purchased, IMVU had to remove the newly UFI items from users' inventories. IMVU additionally refunded users the credits spent on such items. Many AP purchasers continued to be irate as they believed that such content was and would continue to be allowable, since to purchase and use an AP one was required to self-certify they were 18 and have a valid credit card. The MPAA film rating system is a system used in the United States and instituted by the Motion Picture Association of America to rate a movie based on its content. ...
Many customers now complain that the "Restricted" content in the Access Pass is more of a PG 13 level rather than the at least rated R level that was advertised. New Terms of Service allows for IMVU to take away content from customers, even though they have paid IMVU for that content, without compensation. Customers are unable to access their accounts unless they agree to those terms of service. In addition, the content that IMVU had now rated UFI includes some of their own animations that were originally part of the basic AP actions a consumer was given access to when buying the AP. Those actions, which many feel were PG level in the first place, were deleted by IMVU and replaced by what many customers feel are even more juvenile animations.
Age Verification Subsequently, IMVU implemented a stronger form of age verification, through a third-party identity verification process. IMVU has named this product Age Verification Token. IMVU has not disclosed to its members the third-party company providing the verification process. Some IMVU members feel they have a right to know the identity of the firm to whom they're providing their personally identifying information, such as social security, drivers license, passport and home address information.
Age Verification is voluntary, and requires a fee. Age Verification is free with the purchase of the Access Pass, but is not needed to buy or use the Access Pass, or Access Pass Content.
Community Imvu features a lively and creative community. Many IMVU users are developers, and they create and sell products in the IMVU catalog. Another important aspect of the community is related to Homepages. Each IMVU user has a highly customizable Homepage. To support this creativy, many third party websites provide users with templates, stickers and support to customize homepages. Within the IMVU community there is also a lively artistic scene. Many users create pictures for users homepage and many others are involved in the machinima scene. Most of this creative scene takes place both inside the official forums and third party websites. Look up homepage in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...
In a two-party system a third party is a party other than the two dominant ones. ...
See also The following tables compare general and technical information for a number of instant messaging clients. ...
This is a list of notable social networking websites. ...
References - ^ "IMVU Information." IMVU: 3D Avatar Chat Instant Messenger & Dress Up Game. 2007. IMVU. 6 Oct. 2007 <http://www.imvu.com/catalog/web_info.php?section=Info&topic=aboutus>.
External links
Press - Wired News: Instant Messaging Goes Graphical
- Clickable Culture: In conversation with Will Harvey, Part 1
- Clickable Culture: I See IMVU
- IMVU: There lite?
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