Avatars are important, but confining. One avatar in one game won't necessary be usable in another. IBM and Second Life developer Linden Labs have joined forces to figure out a way to make avatars interoperable. An open avatar would allow individuals to keep their same basic appearance and data. Says IBM vice president of digital convergence, Colin Parris:
"It is going to happen anyway. If you think you are walled and secure, somebody will create something that's open and then people will drain themselves away as fast as possible."