Compared with those action-packed scenarios, a group of intelligence agents meeting in a virtual conference room seems rather tame, says Gartner Research's Carol Rozwell, an analyst focused on the use of virtual worlds in business.
But a defeat in the final round of group play to Sweden was the catalyst for another locker-room flare-up and condemned France to this quarterfinal meeting with Spain.
As we listened, we were struck that even for this group of ardent technology enthusiasts, there was an excitement and energy that came from gathering in a single room and meeting face to face.