Second Life
I’ve been readi about second life for a few months now and am constantly amazed about what this new digital world is offering. It is science fiction come true and an incredibly interesting experiment in economics, social interactions, as well as computer aided design.
So what is Second Life? It could be described as a game, but that would minimize the importance. It could be described as a new place on the internet, but that would be overly simplistic. It could be described as a means of communication, but that would miss so much of whathappens in SL.
SL is a digital world, created by a company called linden labs. this world is a place where people go to interact with others, build their dream house, or start a business.
The first description of a digital world with the richness and complexity of SL I found in the writing of Neal Stephenson’s novel Snow Crash. THe Metaverse as he described it, was a second world, where people could design everything around them from people to buildings. REsidents ofStephenson’s metaverse could “jack in” to this space and become a part of a completely virtual society.
SL does exactly that. Creates a world where you can go and hangout with friends, work or go to an event. Residents of SL are able to go to lectures, join groups of like minded individuals or hangout in the house that they have built by the ocean.