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Europe Surges to Lead Second Life Virtual-World Population

From the Reuter's Second-Life News Center: Europeans now make up the largest block of residents of the 3-D virtual world, Second Life, with more than 54 percent of active users in January ahead of North America’s 34.5 percent, according to new Linden Lab data.

U.S. residents made up only 31.2 percent of active Second Life users in the month. France has the second-highest number of users after the virtual world became a battleground for the country’s presidential election.

Although French residents had long been a part of Second Life, thousands more joined Second Life in January as demonstrators picketed the virtual offices of Jean Marie Le Pen’s far-right National Front party. Socialist candidate Ségolène Royal also established a Second Life presence.

Second Life Link

A "Second Take" on Second Life

From Joseph at U of West Virginia...

To be fair, Second Life does raise some interesting question about what it means to ''live'' and ''interact.'' Is it something that can be duplicated? Is a word typed worth as much as one spoken? And do we really need to ''see'' people to ''know'' them?

It also does a fairly good job of answering them: No, no and yes.

It was John Lennon who said that reality ultimately leaves a lot to the imagination. He was mostly right, I think, but for the curious yuppie thinking about taking on the strain of a second, futile life, I will offer only a slight amendment: Reality leaves a lot to the imagination, but a second one leaves hardly any time for a nice, hot shower and a long, hard look in the mirror.

Europe Surges to Lead Second Life Virtual-World Population

From the Reuter's Second-Life News Center: Europeans now make up the largest block of residents of the 3-D virtual world, Second Life, with more than 54 percent of active users in January ahead of North America’s 34.5 percent, according to new Linden Lab data.

U.S. residents made up only 31.2 percent of active Second Life users in the month. France has the second-highest number of users after the virtual world became a battleground for the country’s presidential election.

Although French residents had long been a part of Second Life, thousands more joined Second Life in January as demonstrators picketed the virtual offices of Jean Marie Le Pen’s far-right National Front party. Socialist candidate Ségolène Royal also established a Second Life presence.

Second Life Link

A "Second Take" on Second Life

From Joseph at U of West Virginia...

To be fair, Second Life does raise some interesting question about what it means to ''live'' and ''interact.'' Is it something that can be duplicated? Is a word typed worth as much as one spoken? And do we really need to ''see'' people to ''know'' them?

It also does a fairly good job of answering them: No, no and yes.

It was John Lennon who said that reality ultimately leaves a lot to the imagination. He was mostly right, I think, but for the curious yuppie thinking about taking on the strain of a second, futile life, I will offer only a slight amendment: Reality leaves a lot to the imagination, but a second one leaves hardly any time for a nice, hot shower and a long, hard look in the mirror.