The Business Case for Second Life
by Pixeleen Mistral on 14/06/07 at 4:14 pm
A new use for SL, and wow is it cheesy
by Curious Rousselot, metaverse technology reporter
We all know that the government and corporate worlds are jumping into Second Life but what are they doing with here? Sure they buy up corporate island and put up builds. Usually they have an event once in a while but other than that the islands a generally a deserted wasteland devoid of any avatars. Is that all there is? How can they justify the expense?
An instant cult classic
It now appears that there is in fact a serious use for Second Life – training video production! The instant classic, “IT Security Spotlight” on Youtube is a tour-de-force in human resources training video-making, apparently produced for the U.S. Federal Court system to inform and educate on IT Security issues. [maybe we should file a freedom of information act request to get the entire video? ...on further consideration, maybe not - Editrix]
Two guys learn defense in depth could mean sacrificing SL cottages outside the castle
This is sure to bring more corporations to SL. Why? Compare the stilted real life acting to the SL avatars – which is less painful to watch?
All yr thatched roofed base r belong to griefers!
The federal court system wants you to secure your virtual castle
urizenus
Jun 14th, 2007
wowzers, sweet neckties. well… ok, maybe not. but this was like watching one of those 1950s “duck and cover” nuclear attack instructional videos. sweetness.
Prokofy Neva
Jun 14th, 2007
I think it’s great our tax dollars are at work using Second Life for government training videos.
‘In medieval towns, people were often revolting.”
Right!
I’m troubled by those people who had to sacrifice for the “greater good”. Who determines that?
Myrrh Massiel
Jun 14th, 2007
…burninating the countryside!..burninating the peasants!..burninating all the people in their THATCHED ROOF COTTAGES!!!
CarlCorey Colman
Jun 15th, 2007
medieval peasants were indeed revolting…
John Hensley
Jun 15th, 2007
TO THE KEEP!
Doubledown Tandino
Jun 15th, 2007
I’ve been waiting soooooooo long for “Plan 10 from Outer Space” to come out
marilyn murphy
Jun 15th, 2007
theres an old army training video, where the old seargeant says, “okay, boys, let’s have a cup a joe and look at the M-14.” (read from a piece of paper in front of him while holding onto a big mug of coffee)
we laughed and laughed and to this day in my family its an inside joke to refer to a cup a joe.
it’s nice to see corporate america following in this fine artistic tradition.
Prokofy Neva
Jun 15th, 2007
The lady with the magic wand in the purple outfit really made it for me, though.
Obscure Doodad
Jun 15th, 2007
The numbers are not in favor of people who expect to make money in SL without dealing directly with off world entities.
If you look at Meta Linden’s monthly economic statistics, you will see that she counts 39,000 total avatars with monthly positive linden flow of any magnitude — and that’s before she extracts tier or monthly premium payments.
Well, the shocking thing about that number . . . 39,000 . . . is that it is less than half of the current 90,000 premium accounts, who are guaranteed a monthly stipend. Fully half the premiums can’t or don’t achieve positive Linden flow in SL and they are guaranteed an income.
Remember, her numbers are pre LL charges. The premiums’ payments to LL are not in that number — and STILL a full half of them are losing money.
Only the hype is making money in SL. The NBA, Playboy . . . whoever . . . never lose sight of the fact that the NBA and Playboy themselves are not in SL. No Playboy magazines are delivered in SL. No NBA games are played in SL. The products themselves don’t happen in SL. Just hype. The companies aren’t in SL. Only their PR firms are.
Inigo Chamerberlin
Jun 15th, 2007
Woah! That was a wind up, right? PLEASE, someone tell me it was…
Tenshi Vielle
Jun 15th, 2007
zomg are those guys arab? CALL THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION!!!
Hamlet Au
Jun 16th, 2007
This came out last year, actually. Some more background here:
http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2006/09/uncanny_valley__6.html
Luth Brodie
Jun 17th, 2007
That was a new level of horrible.
Panda
Jun 17th, 2007
Doodad,
You have to remember that out of those 39k people, how many are *trying* to have a positive monthly cashflow? I suspect most of them are simply here for recreation (or procreation, *cough*), and have no trouble spending money without thought on earning money.
If anyone can come up with a statistic showing monthly cashflow for avatars *trying* to make a profit, then I’d pay it any attention.