Overheard

Can You Send Them an Imaginary Check?

"On April 15, 2004, I will truthfully report to the IRS that my primary source of income is the sale of imaginary goods ..."

"... and that I earn more from it, on a monthly basis, than I have ever earned as a professional writer."

WHO: Julian Dibbell, who has written about virtual worlds and their economies for years
ABOUT WHAT: Dibbell has a website devoted to an experiment in which he is trying to make as much money as he can trafficking in Ultima Online goods. From Wired News: Laying Down the Virtual Law