Cory Ondrejka

Cory Ondrejka is a software developer best known as the former Chief Technology Officer of Linden Lab, makers of Second Life. With Philip Rosedale, Ondrejka co-founded Second Life and played a significant role in the architecture of the product. After leaving Linden Lab, Ondrejka became Senior Vice President of Digital Strategy for the EMI Group^[1] until he left EMI in September 2009.^[2]

Career

Before Linden Lab

Before joining Linden Lab, Ondrejka served as Project Leader and Lead Programmer for Pacific Coast Power and Light, where he helped to develop Road Rash 64 and built a core technology team to deliver titles to the Nintendo 64 and Sony PlayStation consoles.^[3] Prior to 2000, Ondrejka also worked for the Department of Defense and the National Security Agency.

Linden Lab (2000-2007)

Ondrejka joined San Francisco-based Linden Lab in 2000 and was the fourth employee retained by the company.^[4] During his tenure at Linden Lab (2000–2007), Ondrejka was chiefly responsible for the development of the Linden Scripting Language, and reportedly spearheaded Linden Lab's initiatives in favour of user intellectual property rights and open source code.^[5]

Ondrejka departed Linden Lab in 2007, a move initially rumoured in the virtual world blog Massively^[6] and subsequently confirmed in CNET^[7] and by numerous other sources following an official statement. Ondrejka's departure, which former Linden Lab Chief Executive Officer Philip Rosedale characterized in a BBC interview as amicable "differences... about how to run the company and how best we organise ourselves as a company going forward",^[8] was a source of controversy and speculation in the media and blogosphere.^[9]

After Linden Lab

In 2008, Ondrejka was recruited to join EMI with the title of senior vice-president of digital strategy. Digital business president Douglas Merrill commented on Ondrejka's appointment that, Ondrejka's experience in building virtual environments will be valuable to EMI in creating "new digital communities for fans and artists", specifically with a view to enabling people to find and engage with musical content.

In Second Life

Ondrejka was known in Second Life as "Cory Linden," and notably created an avatar to appear in the 3D world as the Flying Spaghetti Monster. His activities in the world were characterized by Wagner James Au as "puckish" and playfully anarchic, often to the benefit of newbies.^[10]

Education

Ondrejka is a former US Navy officer and graduate of the US Naval Academy. He earned a joint undergraduate degree in Computer Science and Weapons and Systems Engineering, and has the distinction of being the first Annapolis graduate to do so.^[11]

External links

• Interview with Second Life's Cory Ondrejka
• PodTech interview with Cory Ondrejka
• User generated content in Second Life with Cory Ondrejka
• Cory Ondrejka's Departure in his own words

References

1. ^ EMI recruits creator of Second Life (Guardian, June 10, 2008)
2. ^ Departure from EMI
3. ^ State of Play V: Speakers' Bios
4. ^ Boston Globe
5. ^ PodTech Interview
6. ^ Massively blog, 2007/12/11
7. ^ CNET: Upheaval at Linden Lab
8. ^ BBC Interview with Philip Rosedale
9. ^ C|NET
10. ^ New World Notes
11. ^ Boston Globe

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