Build Date: Mon Mar 31 10:21:34 2025 UTC
Is the tech economy down because we're all fucking around on the Internet during work hours, or are we fucking around on the Internet during work hours because the tech economy is down? This is one of those chicken/egg questions that keeps me up at night.
-- Master Squid
Money for Almost Nothin
1999-11-11 14:52:47
You've played Angband and Rouge and all those netty fantasy games, but check this out. Can you SELL your stuff on the open market? I'm not talking about to other MUD geeks for bits of virtual gold, but to REAL GEEKS for REAL MONEY. You can if you play Ultima Online or Everquest.
That's Right! I've been skeptical of those auction sites since they first appeared. I cull through there occasionally looking for Precious Moments Figurines to complete my collection. I see the handmade bootleg Madonna buttons and Renaissance Fair gear going for exorbitant $$ and shake my head, thinking, What a bunch o' suckers. Then I ran across the online role playing game market.
These would-be heroes and heroines auction their online possessions (i.e. +9 swords of "I wish I were this cool in real life", etc.) for REAL $$ on ebay. Check this one out, $510 for a virtual house.
http://c gi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=193800244
And this, 100,000 virtual gold doubloons for $41
http://c gi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=195049592
I understand obsession; I still collect Catherine Bach memorabilia, but at least when I spend my hard earned Highway Dept. wages, I can touch and hold and carry my Daisy Duke lunchbox. But this...this is CRAZY!
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