This post is part of our Hottest Products of 2007 feature. Check out our other Hottest Products of 2007 posts and let us know which product you think is the greatest thing since sliced bread.
If you find life a little boring, stifling and basically bland, then you may be a prime candidate to check out one of this year's hottest properties. Second Life is for people who wish to expand the boundaries of their life experience. Second Life opens up opportunities (albeit virtual ones) that most people would never encounter in their own personal daily grind. Much of the "news" that surfaces in mainstream media regarding Second Life is just dicey, sensationalist spin. What we want to know about are the things that make Linden Lab's Second Life worthy for consideration as a product of the year.
A good place to start investigating is Second Life Insider, a blog dedicated to tracking that constantly changing virtual environment. For instance, did you know that Second Life has an economy of its own, which actually maintains an exchange rate against real American dollars? It's true, and according to Second Life Insider, on November 1, Second Life membership invested U.S. $1,372,000 into Linden dollars (the site's virtual currency) at an exchange rate of L$268.7 to one U.S. dollar. In fact, there was quite a moan put out by the IRS at the beginning of this year when they again realized that people do generate significant income in virtual spaces.
You can bring money into Second Life and you can use it there, but what do you do then? That question is best answered with the words, anything you want to (within reason, of course). You can buy a plot of virtual land and build an immaculate dream home such as you could probably never own in your lifetime. You can sculpt your own mountain, grow a garden of tropical plants in a tree house, or build a business airbrushing vehicles.
You get around Second Life in the person of your avatar, the visual presence of yourself in the virtual environment. The best part about an avatar is that you can build or buy the appearance of your avatar to match your exact specifications, and if you want something different the next day, it's no problem. This is an especially nice situation for people who are naturally outgoing and expressive. Outward appearance can be easily adjusted in Second Life with tremendous results. Avatar appearance can be used to make a statement or stimulate a reaction. You can even make your avatar a representation of yourself, as this IBM chief executive has.
You are able to digitally build just about anything in Second Life and you can make it act how you want it to. SL provides a suite of real-time building tools that allow you to create things directly in the virtual environment. If you create an item that's a big hit, such as a virtual parrot that talks like Alfred Hitchcock and tells jokes, you can market it to your virtual friends and generate more Lindon dollars for yourself. I'm willing to bet that there are people positively addicted to that suite of building tools. I know if I go over there, I'll be forever creating things.
I'm not sure if there have been any significant studies relative to the many psychological questions that must surround participation in virtual worlds. I know I haven't seen one. I think that the experience could be very beneficial to some people. The enhanced creative options can lead to fulfillment via expression, even if those expressions take place in a virtual world. People who have aspirations beyond what their own hometown can provide them may find particular satisfaction in building and owning a virtual business in Second Life. A musical performer might get a level of exposure not otherwise attainable. A dress designer might become a recognized talent in their field.
Is Second Life worthy of consideration as a best product of the year for 2007? In many ways I think so. The artist in me likes the creative autonomy that's presented. The opportunities for personal expression there are almost limitless. Any bad scenarios you may have heard about seem to be easily avoidable. The vast majority of what I have heard come out of Second Life has been good. They really seem to be enjoying themselves over there.
Would I personally ever consider taking up part-time residence in an environment such as Second Life? I think my best answer is: If I had the time, I'd be there.
If you've had some experience with this product, let us know about it. Or if you know of something else that you think is one of the Hottest Products of 2007, feel free to tell us about that as well.
Once again, OPEC has killed the goose that lays the golden egg
Closing Bell: Markets bounce after yesterday's sell-off; BA, F, GE, DOW all up, GS down 
Where have all the consumers gone?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-22-2007 @ 1:02AM
Dave Elchoness said...
Also think about the enterprise uses for virtual worlds like Second Life. Imagine collaborating with a colleague 10,000 miles away as if in person in a Second Life venue. Or sharing a virtual cup of coffee with a customer who you'll never meet in person. The other day I was meeting with a client in Second Life as we watched a builder constructing a meeting space in my VRWorkplace sim. I was physically at my desk in Colorado. He was in his home in Edmonton, Alberta. She was at her desk in Shanghai. I started VRWorkplace to bring this kind of virtually in-person interaction to the global and remote workplace. Being able to buy anything virtual in Second Life is, in my opinion, secondary to its value as a revolutionary communications medium that will, in time, render physical distance largely irrelevant.
11-22-2007 @ 1:04AM
Doreen Garrigus said...
That suite of building tools is positively addicting. So is perfecting your use of it. So much so, in fact, that I have not yet opened up my shop because I have gotten fascinated with tweaking the things I build until they are exactly what I want them to be.
I have never run into most of the dire things you read about. I've never seen kiddie porn in SL. I've walked into exactly two sex clubs---one was right after I started and I had no idea how to move around in the world, and the other was yesterday while there were some system issues and I was teleporting randomly to see what was up and running.
In SL, I have gone sailing, dancing, paragliding, ice skating, skiing, motorcycling, and scuba diving. I have ridden in hot air balloons, helicopters, flying saucers, and on the back of a dragon. I have played with magic wands, mystic tomes, swarms of fairies, working laptops and cell phones and teakettles, and a small school of koi who IMed me to tell me they were trying to get home when, entirely through the fault of their owner, they got lost 630 meters in the air.
My avatar has sent text messages from inside SL to someone's phone outside SL---and I got to see the startled expression on their face when they realized they were talking to a virtual person. I have attended classes and lectures, art exhibitions, and live musical performances.
My significant other travels for work, and when he is away we meet in SL and go exploring. During one of those expeditions, we found a beautiful interpretation of the Old Norse Land of the Dead: Niflheimr. It was *gorgeous*, ice-locked and creepy. We have found mountains and gardens and underground lakes, forests and rivers, all filled with plant and animals of every imaginable sort.
And most of those things were user-created, built with those addicting in-world tools.
Sure there are problems with the system. SL is adding half a million new users a month. I feel for the techies at Linden Lab who have to accommodate that growth.
Yes, there are things in world that I object to. That's what happens when you give people reign to create what they want to create. Mostly, those things are pretty obvious and easy to avoid.
What I see happening in Second Life is a flowering, a stunning burst of human creativity, intellect and communication across national boundaries. People everywhere want to be surrounded by beauty and intricacy, and they want to have some part in its creation. Second Life, alone of all extant virtual worlds, provides a place for them to do that.
It's funny what a difference those building tools can make, isn't it?
11-26-2007 @ 1:23PM
Beth said...
Sounds like something I'd love to try out. The only problem is, I'd still have to deal with the problems in THIS life when I got done, and have even less accomplished at the end of that time....
11-27-2007 @ 11:30AM
smarteepantz said...
The hype over this product is verging on disgusting. Sure, sure, xx,xxx users in the past 60 days, over x million users total. The numbers are BOGUS! How many PUBLIC universities are requiring going into this PRIVATELY-held, hacker-paradise in order to conduct classes? How many real people are creating multiple accounts? How many of those visitors popped in once to see the hype, never to return again? Give me a break!!!
SL deserves the spot only as proof of the tunnel-vision that universities and hangers-on have when it comes to technology. They're desperate to join the cutting-edge fray and are perfectly willing to be played for suckers as a result.
Interesting that the article says nothing about the hack-attacks, child-porn investigations and outright fraud that is rampant in SL.
11-29-2007 @ 4:00AM
MP Flinn said...
Since this is a product review and that implies cost I would like to point out that being in Second Life is free - until you want to get into the land ownership, building, etc. that takes money and a subscription fee. Free is fun; lots to do and learn -- and, yes, you CAN avoid the stuff you don't want.
11-30-2007 @ 1:24PM
Illy said...
I, personally, have had an SL account (if not several) for quite some time now. Its not only great for business and marketing or whatnot, but also a great place to go and relax and have fun with friends, family, and even meet new people. Have a pen pal you've always wanted to have drinks with? Do it! There are several hundreds, even thousands, of clubs, party sims, cruises, party planes, soul trains and so on and so forth. Ever had a cool idea for a book and wanted to share it with the world? Publish it on SL. Heck, turn your idea into an RP sim and watch the imagination flurish for not only you, but several hundreds of thousands of people from around the world! Ever had a boss or co-worker you'd just LOVE to punch across the room? Find an RP sim like Obsidian City or NoRSim, grab a combat hud and a weapon, and go all out! Not only do you get your agression out in a safe and controled environment, but you don't get arrested for murder, assault, or battery charges! ^_^ So long as you follow the rules of the RP Sim of your choice, you won't even get eject/banned/warned. Anything you want (obviously so long as its not against the law) is litterally at your fingertips and only a mouse-click away. I've gotta life in and out of Second Life, but I have to admit, SL is just SOOOOOO Much Fun! Wouldn't trade my friends there for the world!
12-14-2007 @ 12:23AM
Mike Glen said...
I tried SL for awhile, found it very clumsy and full of unanswered questions. A users Manual is definetly needed. How to get around and how to enter chat rooms. But I thought it was fun, just needs a bit better Operations system, more user friendly, with a better Help option.
2-27-2008 @ 9:00AM
susan said...
i wud like to see wat this is like