It__Second_Life

What is Second Life' Second Life is a virtual world developed by Linden Lab that launched on June 23, 2003, and is accessible on the Internet. Second Life is for people aged 18 and over, while Teen Second Life is for people aged 13 to 17. It is a communication tool which provides a multi-user virtual environment allowing users to interact in these online worlds in real time. The residents represented by a 3D avatar create everything in this virtual world. Residents interact with each other through avatars by using a free client program called the Viewer. They can explore, meet other residents, socialize, participate in individual and group activities, and create and trade virtual property and services with one another, or travel throughout the world. People who have no experience in the Second Life world might think it as a game. Though some residents have created entertainment activities within Second Life, it is more accurately described as an interactive social network where users engage in a variety of social, economic and educational activities. (Wikipedia, 2007) How does it work' Second Life users install an application that runs locally and communicates with servers that host the virtual world. Once registered, users can establish and customize their own avatars. They can be modified from time to time by using current built-in options, creating new options or buying new items created by others. (Beth Knittle, 2008)To use Second Life is free of charges but there is some exclusion, such as for owning land, residents need to pay a Second Life land use fee from US$5 to US$295 based on the size of land. All users can buy Linden dollars to participate in the Second Life economy. The Linden dollar can be used to buy, sell, rent or trade land or virtual goods and services with other users. Once in the virtual world, users are free to explore for places, people, and activities. Avatars can teleport to any location in Second Life and navigate by walking or flying around the space. Users can communicate with others through chat and other text media or, with VoIP enabled, can speak to one another. Each resident has an inventory to store virtual objects which can be used or given to other users. Numerous gestures are available, including waving, sitting down, or dancing. In short, avatars can do anything as long as a programmer has created such a function. Why is it significant' Although Second Life offers a gorgeous synchronous platform for users from different countries to meet and interact, the stronger attraction for many users is the possibility to which the virtual world treats as a legitimate substitution for the real world, allowing users to inhabit characters and situations that are otherwise unavailable in real world. For example, setting one’s avatar as the other gender reveals a user to attitudes and behaviors that a person of that gender might experience in the real world. Activities in Second Life can teach users how to work effectively in a group by allowing them to experiment with behaviors that they might be too reluctant or shy to try in the real world. (Educase Learning Initiative, 2008) This is because Second Life gives people a new identity in virtual world which what they do is unrelated to their real life. The fact that users are prone to alter their actions because of the medium provides an opportunity observing how people behave under a virtual world which has no restrictions. That Second Life has a functioning focus on questions of where real people find value, even in a virtual world. The downsides: Second Life faces an internal conflict between using technology to create a virtual life experience and the reality that in a virtual world, people may not follow the code of ethics or the laws and norms of society. Some residents critics that activities that are illegal or unethical in real life are becoming usual in the virtual world—gambling, child pornography, and pyramid schemes have appeared in Second Life—and in many instances it remains unclear what authority has control over virtual activities that affecting the real world. Blurring the line between virtual and real highlights a wide swath of untested legal issues that have yet to be resolved. (Educase Learning Initiative, 2008)Because Second Life is unreal, and avatars are largely anonymous, the way users behave in-world is at least somewhat suspect. Moreover, Second Life is sufficiently engaging as to raise concerns not only about overuse but also about the erosion of some users’ ability to recognize the difference between virtual and real. As the second life is widely used around different cities, companies with different industries have used it for business purposes. The uses include education, architecture, advertising, media industry, and even internal management. Media industries Television and media companies such as CNN and BBC have used Second life to attract viewers. Virtual offices have been opened for media companies to facilitate internal communications. It is easier to position themselves at the forefront of the digital landscape in order to recruit tech-savvy employees. The application of Second life can also help companies become fashionable with cutting edge technology so as to convince potential clients. In addition, CNN aims to understand what news is most interesting and valuable in audiences’ view through the second life. According to Cnn (2007, CNN enters the virtual world of Second Life section, para. 5), in tradition, CNN will ask its real-life audience to submit I-Reports so as to provide feedback or suggestions for company to improve. Refer to the second life, residents of Second Life becomes more convenient to share their own "SL I-Reports" about events that occurring within the virtual world. When Second Life residents find some news that they deem newsworthy, they can use the application in Second life to write about the event and submit to CNN. CNN I-Report producers will then select the submitted news and then let residents in the Second life to view. The news will also be shown in the real world at CNN.com. In this sense, CNN increases the interaction between the company and the audience. Advertisement Some companies such as Adidas have set their virtual stores to introduce their product. It is believed their virtual presence could enhance their brand image and provide new insights into how people might act in the online realm. In fact, according to Erika (2007, Meeting room for the future', para. 2), companies like Coca-Cola, Ben & Jerry's Homemade ice cream and Sears had set up shop in the second life. Actually, companies can have larger scale promotion activities but not only set up shops in the virtual world. Taking Coca-Cola as an example, it held a competition called “Virtual Thirst”. Through the competition, residents can design a coca-cola vending machine. (Shel, 2007, Coca-Cola’s community approach to Second Life section). Architecture The second life is also attractive for architecture industry. The constructing tools in second life are free. Moreover, the second life helps designer present their idea to their customers in a clear way. Unlike the written planning, the second life can act as a 3-D modeling tool. Customers can review the building at different angle as at a 3-dimension. In addition, whenever they want modifications, designers can implement and change the design easily. Thus they can then avoid mistakes that would be expensive to fix if made in the real world. CrescendoDesign is an architecture company. The company has adopted the second life to show the construction model to their clients. Education The second life can also use for educational purpose. Some international business school is building a virtual campus in second life such that students only need to use second life to attend the classes instead to go to the real campus. Virtual campus with rooms for virtual classroom lectures, research laboratories, and lounge areas can be easily built for the school to operate. Students can download documents and work in team and meet alumni online. According to Luo (2009, JC buys virtual island for teachers to hone skills), the two business schools, National University of Singapore and IJC ,are among some of the institutions running lessons on virtual campuses.” The application of second life for education lasts not only in the virtual lecture room but also in other aspect. In the second life, the business school can even teach something that can only be theoretically taught by using the second life. The lecturer can take their classes on virtual field trips to places otherwise difficult to access, such as electricity generators. Actually, Innova Junior College (IJC) has already spent around $10,000 to buy the online island, build the facility and program it. Internal management Companies can also use second life for internal management. The major uses are conferences and events and job interviewing. Conferences and events Companies will also use second life to have conferences and events. Through the second life, distant meeting is possible. In the virtual world, acknowledgement of the attendees will be possible. There can also be real-time translation. Actually, employees in IBM have already adopted the second life to have conferences and events. Job interviewing Companies such as Hewlett-Packard and global management consultancy Bain and Company had tried to use Second Life for screening job applicants. The use of second life enables companies having a distant job interviewing. Lower recruitment cost for companies is resulted. Use of Second life in IBM The IT giant (IBM) invested millions of dollar in exploring the opportunities of virtual business. Second life can offer important business functions. Virtual collaboration and knowledge can be obtained. Meeting can be held in the second life. People can even see powerpoint slides in the virtual meeting room. According to Second Life Work (2009, Second life works case studies IBMen-USto Second Life section), on 21st October 2008, IBM Academy of Technology Holds a Virtual World Conference in Second Life. This is a three-day Academy of Technology’s virtual world conference attracted over 200 members globally. It is agreed by the organizers and the volunteers that the conference was a complete success. With a initial of investment of around $80,000 only, IBM estimates that over $250,000 of travelling cost was saved. In addition, as participants only used their computers to attend the meeting, they could go back to work immediately, more than $150,000 additional productivity was gained. IBM, in fact, has models of its Blade Servers on its own island in the second life. So employees can practice themselves. The training purpose can be reached. Other functions like marketing, product development and customer services can also be achieved. The business center set up by IBM in the second life has been widely used. The centers were also being promoted in the IBM.com. Large events will be held in the business center. All these imply that IBM will apply the second life system into more aspect. Reference: * Wikipedia (2007), Second Life-Wikipedia. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Life [Accessed: April 19, 2010]. * Second Life (2010), What is Second Life'. Available from: http://secondlife.com/whatis/'lang=en-US [Accessed: April 19, 2010]. * Educase Learning Initiative (2008), 7 things you should know about.. Second Life. Available from: http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7038.pdf [Accessed: April 19, 2010]. * Beth Knittle (2008), An Introduction to Second Life® for Educators. Available from: http://educ.queensu.ca/e-services/it/second-life/intro/IntroToSLforEd.pdf [Accessed: April 19, 2010] * Luo, S. (2009), "JC buys virtual island for teachers to hone skills", The Straits Times, Sept 8, p.1. * Smith, E.D. (2007), "Meeting room for the future'", The Indianapolis Star, Sept 15, p.1. * Cnn (2007), CNN enters the virtual world of Second Life. Available from: http://edition.cnn.com/2007/TECH/11/12/second.life.irpt/index.html [Accessed: April 6, 2010]. * Second Life (2010), What is Second Life'. Available from: http://secondlife.com/whatis/'lang=en-US [Accessed: April 19, 2010]. * Educase Learning Initiative (2008), 7 things you should know about.. Second Life. Available from: http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7038.pdf [Accessed: April 19, 2010]. * Beth Knittle (2008), An Introduction to Second Life® for Educators. Available from: http://educ.queensu.ca/e-services/it/second-life/intro/IntroToSLforEd.pdf [Accessed: April 19, 2010]. * Second Life Work (2009), Second life works case studies IBM. Available from: http://work.secondlife.com/en-US * Shel (2007), a shel of my former self. Available from: http://blog.holtz.com/index.php/coca_colas_community_approach_to_second_life/ [Accessed: April 6, 2010].