Difference between revisions 294669954 and 294918559 on enwiki

{{article issues|fansite=May 2009|notability=May 2009|npov=May 2009|peacock=May 2009|self-published=May 2009|unreferencedBLP=May 2009}}
{{deadend|date=June 2009}}
'''Kevin Alderman''' is the founder of Eros, LLC. He is also known for his work on intellectual property rights and for his work on intellectual property theft in virtual environments - mainly in the virtual world of Second Life, where he operates as the avatar "Stroker Serpentine". Serpentine is arguably Second Life's most prominent cybersex mogul. More recently, Alderman has begun development of his own 3D virtual world, Eros3D. All of the Eros3D content will be designed by professionals to be as user-friendly as possible. It boasts to not only compete with, but exceed, the Second Life virtual world in not only rendering capabilities but expandability and usability.

Alderman worked for many years as a contract plumber by day and dabbled in virtual sex worlds like SeduCity, a two-dimensional graphical interface, by night until discovering Second Life in November 2003 and creating his avatar. Alderman's avatar, "Stroker Serpentine" began by selling virtual sunglasses in a tiny kiosk and eventually moved on to digital sex objects, starting with the SexGen bed and moving on to other things, like sex showers and even as far as sex toilets. Alderman purchased a Second Life server area, called a "Sim", named it "Amsterdam" and turned it into one of the hottest digital sex areas in Second Life, complete with shopping and plenty of digital prostitutes. Alderman sold the Second Life "Amsterdam" sim, a visual reproduction of the famed city including red light district, in March 2007 on Ebay for a sum of $50,000. The Amsterdam sim, was sold to 3dutch.com (a division of Netherlands-based media company Boom BV). The sale made national headlines.

Later that same year in October, Alderman led a six-person lawsuit against New York native Thomas Simon (aka "Raze Kenzo" in Second Life) for unauthorized copying, resale, and general distribution of the platintiff's intellectual property. Simon was reselling various types of content from several different Second Life creators. The Honorable Judge Townes from the East District of New York had the cases' settlement include the stipulations that Simon pay any monetary gain back to the plaintiffs, that he make his Pay Pal and Second Life transaction logs available to the plaintiff's attorney, and that Simon will notify the plaintiffs of any new alternate names or accounts he uses in the virtual world of Second Life.

Near the weekend of July 4, 2008, Alderman spearheaded yet another lawsuit against a Second Life avatar named "Volkov Catteno", temporarily named "John Doe" in court documents, for copying and reselling his virtual SexGen beds. Through several subpoenas served to Linden Lab, Paypal, AT&T and Charter Communications, "Volkov Catteno" was named to be Robert Leatherwood. Leatherwood did not respond to the copyright and trademark infringement complaint within the allotted 20 days, during which time Alderman was able to persuade the court that selling virtual goods for Lindens, an in-game currency which converts out to United States Dollars or the Euro, does constitute a "use in commerce". A default judgement was entered against Leatherman pursuant to Chapter VII of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Rules_of_Civil_Procedure Federal Rules of Civil Procedure].  '''Kevin Alderman''' is the founder of Eros, LLC, a U.S. based company specializing in virtual world development, consulting, and marketing. He is also known for his work on intellectual property rights and combating intellectual property theft in virtual environments - mainly in the popular virtual world of [[Second Life]] where he participates as the avatar "Stroker Serpentine". Serpentine is arguably Second Life's prominent [[cybersex]] mogul.<ref name="pornmogul">[http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/commentary/sexdrive/2007/03/sex_drive0330 Lynn, Regina: "Stroker Serpentine, Second Life's Porn Mogul, Speaks" Wired, March 3, 2007], most prominent cybersex mogul.</ref> Alderman received international attention in 2007 by initiating landmark litigation that utilized the application of copyright law to protect unauthorized duplication and sale of his virtual goods. In late 2007 Alderman began development of his own adult-only 3D virtual world "Eros-3D" capitalizing on his successes with avatar eroticism and motion capture animation technology.

==History==
Alderman worked for twenty years as a third-generation residential/commercial plumbing contractor by day and dabbled in virtual worlds by night. Alderman initially created a presence in the adult-only [[virtual world]] of Seducity as "Str<->ker". Motivated by the sale of virtual goods between residents and the right to retain intellectual property rights, Alderman registered a user account in Second Life in November of 2003 and created his "Stroker Serpentine" avatar.


==Virtual World Influences==
===Virtual World Economies===
Second Life grants residents the freedom to exchange the integral "Linden Dollar" for the tangible international currency of their choice through the "Lindex Exchange". This revolutionary capability has created an e-commerce phenomenon centered around the sale of user-generated content.
 
As an early adopter of Second Life, Alderman recognized the potential for creating a career built solely around the resale of digital objects and developmental services. Benefitting from his experiences in other Internet platforms and popular e-commerce sites such as [[IRC]], Seducity, [[PayPal]] and [[Ebay]], he soon built a successful organization within the virtual space catering specifically to immersing cybersex enthusiasts in creative scenarios. "Strokerz Toyz" still operates as one of the most recognized and successful outlets for adult virtual animation devices within Second Life. <ref name="successful">[http://www.wired.com/gaming/virtualworlds/commentary/sexdrive/2006/08/71657 Lynn, Regina: "Second Life Gets Sexier" Wired, August 25, 2006], most recognized and successful outlets for adult virtual animation devices within Second Life.</ref>
 
In May of 2006 Alderman sold his plumbing business to devote his career fultime to virtual product sales, motion capture animations and cybersex evangelism.

===Virtual Goods and Branding===
"Stroker Serpentine" began his Second Life enterprise by selling virtual sunglasses in a tiny kiosk and eventually moved on to incorporating erotic animations into his creations such as digital furniture and bathroom fixtures. The popularity of his products lead to the collaborative "SexGen" line of cybersex oriented creations, starting with the SexGen bed and moving on to digital genitalia and interactive [[BDSM]] devices.
 
Alderman purchased a Second Life server area in 2004, called a "Sim", He named it "[[Amsterdam]]" after the famed Netherlands city and turned it into one of the most popular destinations within Second Life. The virtual Amsterdam was complete with shopping and digital prostitutes, meticulously re-creating the famed [[Red Light District]].
 
Alderman later listed the Amsterdam simulator in March 2007 on Ebay for a sum of $50,000.<ref name="amsterdam">[http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/ebusiness/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=198700237 Wagner, Mitch: "Second Life Sex Business Sells On eBay For $50,000"  InformationWeek, March 27, 2007] a sum of $50,000. </ref>   The Amsterdam sim was purchased by 3dutch.com (a division of Netherlands-based media company Boom BV).  The sale made international headlines as the first publicly sold virtual world only properties sold on Ebay. 3dutch.com utilizes the simulator as an online social network and cooperative marketing medium for their established web presences.
 
In August 2008 Alderman received [[USPTO]] [[trademark]] registration number 3,483,253 for "SexGen". This registration is regarded as the first ever trademark granted to cover a line of virtual products only available in a virtual world.


===Virtual Law===
As as result of Alderman's "Sex Bed Case", many lawyers and firms such as Francis Taney of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, who represented Alderman in his landmark case(s), have created teams of attorneys and legal analysts devoted specifically to "Virtual Law". Virtual law encompasses the application of intellectual property law (copyright, trademark, and patent), criminal law, property law, contract law, securities law, tax law, and civil procedure as it relates to content creation, developmental considerations and micro-economies of virtual worlds.
 
In April of 2008 Benjamin Duranske of the Pillsbury lawfirm published "Navigating the Legal Landscape of Virtual Worlds", relying heavily upon Alderman's case.

===Eros LLC v Catteneo===
Near the weekend of July 4th, 2007, Alderman's company Eros LL filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against a Second Life avatar named "Volkov Catteno", temporarily named "[[John Doe]]" in court documents, for copying and reselling his virtual SexGen beds. Through several [[subpoenas]] served to [[Linden Lab]], [[Paypal]], [[AT&T]] and [[Charter Communications]], "Volkov Catteno" was named to be Robert Leatherwood of Azle Texas.<ref name="catteneo">[http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article2025713.ece Richards, Jonathan: "Second Life sex bed spawns virtual copyright action" TimesOnline, July, 4, 2007] Robert Leatherwood of Azle, Texas. </ref> 
 
Leatherwood did not respond to the [[copyright infringement]] complaint within the allotted 20 days, during which time Alderman was able to persuade the court that selling virtual goods for Lindens, a convertible digital currency, does constitute a "use in commerce". A default judgement was entered against Leatherwood pursuant to Chapter VII of the [[Federal Rules of Civil Procedure]]. The international legal community characterized this lawsuit as an "Avatar vs. Avatar" [[litigation]], with far-reaching implications in applying copyright law to virtual goods.


===Eros LLC v Kenzo===
  
Later that same year in October of 2007, Alderman spearheaded a six-person lawsuit against New York native Thomas Simon (aka "Raze Kenzo" in Second Life) for unauthorized copying, resale, and general distribution of the multi-platintiff's intellectual properties. Simon was duplicating and reselling<ref name="Kenzo">[http://www.nypost.com/seven/10282007/news/regionalnews/unreality_byte.htm Boniello, KathiAnne: "UNREALITY BYTE$"  New York Post, October, 28, 2007 ] duplicating and reselling</ref> various types of content from several different Second Life content creators.
 
The Honorable Judge Townes from the East District of New York specified the cases' settlement to include the stipulations that Simon pay any monetary gain back to the plaintiffs, that he make his [[PayPal]] and [[Second Life]] transaction logs available to the plaintiff's attorney, and that Simon will notify the plaintiffs of any new alternate names or accounts he uses in the virtual world of Second Life. This lawsuit and settlement represents the first collaborative effort of content creators against copyright infringement of virtual world property.


==Cyber Sex & Beyond==
===Cybersex & Alderman===
Cybersex is the interaction of two individuals fantasizing a sexual experience through the use of a digital medium such as a virtual world or chat room. Often defined as "interactive porn", the use of 3D avatars, voice, streaming video and animations is considered by many to be the evolution of online pornography.
As an evangelist, Alderman has been spotlighted as a pundit in this arena. He lectures at adult-related conferences and is an author of many articles related to the subject. Alderman's emphasis is on creativity, role play, overcoming inhibitions, dislocated partners and dysfunctional therapy.
 
In September of 2008 Alderman partnered with developer OhMibod<ref name="OhMiBod">[http://www.reginalynn.com/archives/570 Lynn, Regina "Teledildonics takes a step: OhMiBod and Second Life (corrected)" Regina Lynn's SexRev 2.0, October, 24, 20082007 ] developer OhMibod</ref> to create an interface that would allow avatars within the virtual world of Second Life to remotely actuate the OhMiBod device of another Internet partner. The teledildonic application utilized a heads up display or "HUD" to play customized soundtracks to enhance avatar to avatar cybersex.
 
The OhMiBod interface has since been abandoned for use in Second Life due to aggressive enforcement  <ref name="OhMiBodpatent">[http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20080504/0006061024.shtml Masnick, Mike "Who Says Patent Lawsuits Aren't Sexy" Techdirt, May,9, 2008] aggressive enforcement </ref> of the broad teledildonics patent. 


===Motion Capture===
Alderman expanded his interests in virtual world development by founding StroCap Studios in 2007 as a subsidiary of Eros LLC.
StroCap Studios are strategic partners with Motionwerx of Emoryville California, U.S. distributors of the [[Animazoo IGS-190 System]] and the [[CyberGlove II]].
By combining the resources of StroCap and Motionwerx, Alderman utilizes innovative gyroscopic inertial systems<ref name="mocap">[http://www.virtualworldsnews.com/2008/05/second-lifes-st.html Feldman, Curt "Second Life's Stroker Serpentine Bringing MoCap to the Real World" , Virtual World News, May 9, 2008] innovative gyroscopic inertial systems</ref> and [[motion capture]] optical systems to provide platform developers and virtual world entrepreneurs with realistic character animations.

===Eros 3-D===
Eros-3D was first conceived by Alderman in 2000. His passionate curiousity of virtual worlds and interpersonal online relationships lead him from platform to platform as a partcipant and content creator. In 2003 Alderman joined [[Second Life]] with the hopes of finding a comprehensive online experience that would combine user-generated content, a virtual economy and massive scalability.
 
Alderman soon realized that [[Linden Lab]]'s policy to accept free accounts made protection of his intellectual property difficult at best. Combined with the adverse publicity of ageplay <ref name="wonderland">[http://www.massively.com/2007/10/31/second-life-wonderland-scandal-hits-mainstream-media/ Dobson, William "Second Life "Wonderland" scandal hits mainstream media" Massively.com, October, 31, 2007] adverse publicity of ageplay  </ref> participants discovered within Second Life, Alderman began to research alternative virtual world developers to create a contemporary online space for accountable adults.
 
In 2007 Alderman met Robert Flesch of [[Prototerra]] at a virtual worlds conference in San Jose California and soon developed a relationship to address the continually changing demands of adult virtual world residents. Flesch is best known for his work on the virtual world "Red Light Center" by [[Utherverse]].
 
Alderman's management team includes a wide variety of industry professionals and content creators, including people such as Randall Crockett of [[CardBiller]]. Crockett's extensive background in digital rights management and electronic commerce added a necessary component to the structure of Eros-3D's conceptual development and the incorporation of a virtual economy.
 
Eros-3D is slated for public launch in February 2010.  


==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{External links|date=April 2009}}
'''Kevin Alderman on the Web'''<br>
*[http://www.linkedin.com/in/strokerserpentine Kevin Alderman on Linked In]
*[http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=662664598&ref=profile Kevin Alderman as Stroker Serpentine on Facebook]⏎
*[http://www.youtube.com/user/gatorbyte99 Kevin Alderman's Youtube Channel]
*[http://www.sluniverse.com/php/vb/members/stroker+serpentine.html Stroker Serpentine on the SLUniverse.com Forums]

'''Kevin Alderman & Articles on Stroker Serpentine'''<br>
(contracted; show full)
*Duranske, Benjamin:[http://virtuallyblind.com/2007/10/27/content-creators-sue-rase-kenzo/ Content Creators Sue Rase Kenzo] Virtually Blind, October 27, 2007 <!--Accessed April 29, 2009-->
*Duanske, Benjamin:[http://virtuallyblind.com/2008/03/14/leatherwood-settlement/ Eros Reaches Settlement with Robert Leatherwood] Virtually Blind, March 14, 2008 <!--Accessed April 29, 2009-->
⏎
⏎
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alderman, Kevin}}
[[Category:Uncategorised people]]