he driving force behind avatars is the continuing search for an interface which is easier and more comfortable to use, particularly for novice computer users, or those uncomfortable with technology: "One of the biggest barriers for beginners is the intimidation factor" (K. Schoenfelder, Microsoft Social Computing Group).
             The earliest computer users were engineers and programmers who were fairly comfortable with command-line prompts. Today, most users are professionals who are fairly comfortable with graphical desktops. But a metaphor based on files and folders is generally meaningless to young children, and the abstractions of menus and icons are difficult for even some adults to grasp. Avatars can provide a more user friendly interface for a grey machine. "People have gone through thousands and thousands of years of evolution that have made us hard-wired for social interaction," according to Schoenfelder "Characters and avatars take advantage of that hard-wiring."
             One of the earliest avatars created and released was Bob, designed by Microsoft
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