On 2 Mar 2007 at 14:29, R.Haighton wrote:

Emily, As I rapidly approach my next decade, I am not sure that an active participation in SL is where I want to go, However that said I will be investigating SL over the next few weeks and who knows what the result may be.

Additional thoughts!

Second Life (abbreviated to SL) is an Internet-based virtual world which came to international attention via mainstream news media in late 2006 and early 2007. Developed by Linden Lab, a downloadable client program enables its users, called "Residents", to interact with each other through motional avatars, providing an advanced level of a social network service combined with general aspects of a metaverse. Residents can explore, meet other Residents, socialize, participate in individual and group activities, and buy items (virtual property) and services from one another.

Second Life is one of several virtual worlds that have been inspired by the cyberpunk literary movement, and particularly by Neal Stephenson's novel Snow Crash. The stated goal of Linden Lab is to create a world like the Metaverse described by Stephenson, a user-defined world of general use in which people can interact, play, do business, and otherwise communicate. Second Life's virtual currency is the Linden Dollar (Linden, or L$) and is exchangeable for US Dollars in a marketplace consisting of residents, Linden Lab and real life companies.

While Second Life is sometimes referred to as a game, it does not have points, scores, winners or losers, levels, an end-strategy, or most of the other characteristics of games. In all, over four million accounts have been registered, though many are not active, and some Residents have multiple accounts. Despite its prominence, Second Life has notable competitors, including Active Worlds, There, and newcomers such as Entropia Universe, Dotsoul Cyberpark and Red Light Center.

Issues and criticisms

Second Life issues and criticisms

Because it is under constant development, and is an open environment that can be used by almost anyone with internet access, Second Life has encountered a number of challenges. These range from the technical (Budgeting of server resources) and "moral" (pornography) to legal (legal position of the Linden Dollar, Linden Lab lawsuit).

Prior to June 6, 2006, all Residents were required to verify their identities by providing Linden Lab with a valid credit card or PayPal account number, or by responding to a cell phone SMS text message. Residents providing information were not charged if their account type cost nothing to create.) After that date, it became possible to create an account with only an e-mail address; even standard verification methods such as e-mail reply verification are not used. Access to Teen Second Life (the parallel world for 13-17 year olds) still requires credit card details. Linden Lab has the ability to ban Residents from Second Life based on a hardware hash of their local PC, preventing them from returning with other accounts.

In January 2007, two articles were published on the Internet which compared the economy of Second Life to a pyramid scheme. In the same month, a "virtual riot" erupted between members of the French National Front who had established a virtual HQ on Second Life, and opponents, including Second Life Left Unity, a socialist and anti-capitalist user-group.Since then, several small internet based organizations have claimed some responsibility for instigating the riots.

Parody

Second Life is parodied by the website "Get a First Life" by Darren Barefoot. Instead of sending the site creator a cease and desist letter, Linden Lab sent him a humorous "Permit-and-Proceed" letter.

From my point of view it is another way to going out the reality without having

to take drugs and pills or going in alcoholism. Some are using this tool the right way some other not it depends of your own minding and what you are looking for!

It is the new "chat system" a pale copy of the various science fiction "Hollow deck" rooms.

A further step towards the virtual unreality...

Locutus Beaumont :)

"-" "It is not the class of license the amateur holds, but the class of the amateur that holds the license."

Luc Leblanc VE2DWE Skype VE2DWE www.qsl.net/ve2dwe WAC BASIC CW PHONE SATELLITE