I do not see the metaverse as being about 2D digital images. The metaverse will be based upon vector 3D images and not the typical 2D bitmaps that most everyone here uses. In the metaverse, you will be able to pick up a stamp album, feel the weight of it, feel any texture on it, open it, work the hinges, try inserting stamps in the mountless pages.
Since our hobby contains a large amount of 'learning', it is a great match for the metaverse concept. The detractors of the metaverse have plenty to be concerned about, but it is largely about data privacy and potential impact to human mental health. Not wanting/liking change (which is inevitable) is a hard sell.
No one here mentioned the fact that
Amazon (another huge player in the metaverse concept) early this month purchased iRobot/Roomba. This purchase was not about
Amazon being able to sell Roombas online. This purchase is about data and the metaverse. Roombas map your house, its room, and even your furniture;
Amazon can use this data to develop your metaverse virtual house.
I have tried for several years to get philatelic folks to think in terms of data monetization; data is currency (and has been for at least 15 years). Consider the APS/HipStamp collaboration, no one here has asked much about what data is being shared. APS can greatly increase their reach by building new contact/email lists, this has huge value on several levels. Not only does it stand to capture new members but it also helps the currently management by being able to say things like, 'look at how we have grown the online APS newsletter distribution'. Ditto for the other side of this coin, HS is also getting new data.
In my opinion data monetization and its related privacy issues are what folks should be concerned about, not whether or not the metaverse will somehow drive digit images to replace stamps.
Don
Posted 08/27/2022 10:22 am
