What is Second Life

"Ms. West, I like what I've read about what you're doing in Second Life! I applaud your re-invention of it as a placemaking experience.”
Joseph Pine II
Author: Authenticity – What Consumers Really Want

Second Life is a three dimensional online world that is created entirely by its residents. It is a world with limitless possibilities for creativity, self-expression, and socializing. Although Second Life was officially launched a few years ago, its popularity and number of residence has increased dramatically since the last quarter of 2006. There are literally millions of people living Second Lives in this virtual world or "metaverse".

Just like people in the real world, residents of Second Life participate and engage in a wide variety of activities. Here are just some of the things that Second Life residents do:

Explore

Explore - There are all kinds of buildings, clubs, cities and stores to investigate by walking, running and even flying around "The Grid" (term for the entire space known as Second Life).

Create

Create - Second Life provides the building tools that residents must use to create things in-world (term means inside Second Life) and a variety of methods for residents to learn how to use them. People create anything and everything you can think of from avatar clothing (avatar is the term for a virtual individual) to castles to entire cities and more.

Socialize

Socialize - There are always social events happening in Second Life and people tend to be very friendly and open in-world. People attend dance contests at nightclubs, beach parties, art gallery openings, private house parties and more. Second Life is a great way to make friends from all over the real globe!

Shop

Shop - People create and adjust their appearance in Second Life by using the built in tools as well as shopping for new clothing, accessories and even body parts! The economy is very healthy with some estimating $1,000,000 per day in real US dollars transacted between residents in the form of the in-world currency, the Linden. It's easy to feel rich in Second Life because you get a lot of Lindens for your dollar!

Learn

Learn - There are a multitude of opportunities for learning in Second Life. As a three dimensional distance learning venue, Second Life empowers teachers to illustrate things that they would be unable to in the real world. Complex ideas and processes can be presented in ways not feasible in the real world. Many universities and companies are already using Second Life as a hub for learning and collaborating. Harvard is now teaching classes in Second Life!

Experience

Experience - Second Life starts by empowering you to appear in any way you desire but it doesn't stop there. You can move, dance, fly like a bird, swim with the fish and more. You don't have to worry about hurting yourself physically in Second Life so sports and other high danger activities can be experienced without serious consequences. You can fly high over an island and when you find an area of interest, simply click "Stop Flying" and you will drop to the earth, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and walk over to the area that caught your interest from the sky to investigate.

Create a Business

Create a Business - There are estimated to be thousands of people conducting businesses in Second Life. The demand for quality products and services has created a robust self-sustaining economy in Second Life. The variety of goods and services is as diverse as those on earth. There are many people who have been able to stop working at their first life jobs and actually make a living with their Second Life businesses.

You can visit the official Second Life website at www.secondlife.com