Naturally, my first thought was “Philip,” the former CEO, and then M, the new CEO, but as I thought about it, I thought the one who certainly deserves the fame is Torley Linden, who has a lot of jobs with Linden Labs but whose official title is Resident Enlightenment Manager on the Community Initiatives Team. It’s a mouthful, but it certainly does encapsulate his job, which I think is “try to help every resident have the most fun legally possible in Second Life.” You want tutorials with entertaining commentary? Torley’s your guy.

A trip to his Here Island is a trip indeed, kind of a watermelon-colored theme park that crosses getting lost in Bugdom (without the mosquitos and poison slugs) with a slip down the rabbit hole. Giant flowers, birds and blades of grass surround you, and if you don’t pay attention, a giant cat head will come rolling at you out of nowhere.

Take in a tutorial or two, grab some of Torley’s textures, all free, or check out his Flickr page. Gape at the giant pink robot. As Torley would say, “Amplify your awesome!”

(Top photo)
Standing on a cat head (made by his RL wife and fellow SL enthusiast, Ravenelle Zugzwang. Torley’s public declaration — “I love life, wife and watermelons” — is also one of his more endearing traits).
(Bottom photo)
The giant Torley head, his signature greeting (“Friendly greetings!”) and me on Here Island

Faculty of Medicine at Imperial College London has developed a region in Second Life that aims to design game-based learning activities for delivery of virtual patients that can drive experiential, diagnostic, and role-play learning activities supporting patients’ diagnoses, investigations and treatment.

One of my Twitter friends, Andrea Vascellari, thinks this is a “terrific example that demonstrates the value of virtual worlds like Second Life” and is interested in other folk’s thoughts after watching this video:

Good to hear a lot of uses of “washed my hands.” 

Andrew, this video reminded me of the May 2007 VTOR post: An opportunity to try virtual knee surgery where I wrote:

The other day I learned about a social networking site for doctors to discuss difficult cases with other doctors called Sermo. 15,000+ doctors are signed up. They don’t have any virtual reality going on there, but it would be interesting to see a virtual component of some sort if or how it could work.

I just checked back on the status of Sermo and see the number of physicians signed up has grown to 70,000+. A 55,000 physican increase over 15 months, impressive. Clearly interest among doctors sharing information on patients with each other and to quote the Sermo website: “exchange clinical insights, observations, and review cases in real time — all the time.”

While case details can be exchanged textually probably faster than bumping around in SL, I still see value in using a virtual world to play out what-if scenarios with patients and for training. I’m not sure how much I’d rely on Second Life as the go to platform with so many other choices these days. Perhaps something in a browser would be better. I wonder if Sermo has thought about integrating something like this with their site.

When you think about RPG game developers the Minnesota Zoo probably doesn’t and won’t make the list with companies like Blizzard, but in December their virtual wolf dreams will be realized. Wolfquest is the result of The Minnesota Zoo and eduweb teaming up to create an educational RPG. Wolfquest will be a free download for both Windows and Mac and is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation (grant number 0610427).

From the about Wolfquest page:

Players join a wolf pack made up of friends or computer-controlled wolves and, through trial and error, instinct, and experience, learn to maximize both individual and pack survival. Each player discovers how to compete or cooperate, challenge or submit, and defend or attack during complex interactions within the pack.

Until the game launch in December, you can watch the Wolfquest preview video, get involved in the forums and follow the developer blog.

Like many of us Pingping Zhaoying thought his password was a strong one, but in this case it really doesn’t make a difference. It does appear to be a fact that with the right knowledge, which is easily obtainable, any resident’s password can be changed.

The problem seems to be in the password can be changed on the Second Life site, by simply answering one of several questions, rather than having a randomly generated password being mailed to your email address; which you would use to log into your account and then be able to change to something you decide.

Linden Lab does not seem to be responding to this issue, and I believe it is one that should be addressed. I really do not think Pingping will ever see his money again, but I do think this hole in security needs to be closed up.

As part of the Second Life Birthday celebration, this libsecondlife event is an open discussion about libsecondlife. It will start with a short introduction and background information and then everyone will be free to discuss any aspect of libsecondlife.

Open Source, The GPL and Second Life
25 June 3:00 to 4:00 PM SLT

Gareth Ellison will be discussing how LL’s recent GPLing of the source code is starting to affect the community, both technical and non-technical members.

This talk will be general discussion about open source in SL and what future might hold, and the merits of the different FLOSS licenses will be discussed along with some SL-related projects which have been generated by the community.

“It is my firm belief that in opening up the viewer and supporting open source in general, LL have laid out the path for Second Life and systems based upon it to expand in a way other 3D worlds would never have dreamed possible,” stated Gareth.

I had never been to Center on Public Diplomacy and arrived there plenty early to look the sim over. (there is a post coming on that island’s orientation area in the very near future) I wanted to arrive in time to get a seat in the main conference hall so I could see the speakers avatars, thus feeling more connected. That turned out to be a mistake due to my computers limited video card. Over 200 people showed up to hear this discussion, including many bloggers, and although split up over multiple sims… lag of course raised its ugly head.

Let me set the stage with information about the MacArthur Foundation. The MacArthur Foundation is a private, independent institution who would like to help improve human conditions around the world. (I know I simplify, but remember I am a country boy) MacArthur supports organizations working on human rights and international justice, conservation and sustainable development, housing, juvenile justice, and independent media.

MacArthur had basically decided to build a replica of their Chicago Building on an island in Second Life and say here we are. Fortunately who ever they asked for advice on this explained to them that would not be the thing to do. Now they are holding discussion groups over the next year to determine their best course of action.

I will not try to cover everything that was covered at this discussion, only a couple thing that caught my attention. The entire discussion will be archived on Spotlight, the MacArthur supported blog for digital media and learning, and Beth Kanter live blogged it over on Beth’s Blog. I can barely think fast enough to hear much less actually type it all up.

The first thing said that really perked my ears was “the hope of the MacArthur Foundation, upon entering Second Life, is to be of service in helping people come together and empowering them to do the things they want to do.” (to improve human conditions) Surely a worthy goal, and I look forward to seeing (if not participating) the different areas which should arise from this.

Jonathan Fanton then made a statement/question (I can’t quote him but) something along the line of: I have been reading articles, blogs, etc… most positive, some not so positive and dealing with security breaches, companies pulling out of Second Life, issues with pornography… Philip can you talk a bit on that for us?

Philip’s response nailed my attention. (I can’t quote him but I will try to stay with his intent) It went something like: On the topic of companies pulling out, or being successful or unsuccessful let me say; if you are looking at Second Life as little more than as a redeployment of brand or conventional media… it is not going to work. Remember when the internet and how it was adopted over time. At first businesses threw up some webpage and gradually they figured out what worked and what didn’t. Then you mentioned pornography and content… I think that “open spaces”, “free and open places” like Second Life… like the internet… are always going to have to empower people and there is always going to be, along with that empowerment, a tolerance one has to have for the many different things people are going to want to do in the space.

I don’t see a way of fixing that and I don’t want to fix it. (emphasis mine) I think that people need to be able to choose what they want to do in a new medium and we as the stewards of that medium should, and can be only minimally, ahh, controlling of those choices, and so I think that, uh yeah. Just like the people looked at the internet and said, oh goodness there is adult content here; I’m not going to come. I think those were thoughts that went away as everyone came to understand that the internet was a space that contained many things and was in the aggurate of public good.

We will do everything we can to give the people the tools to control, you know, what they want to see and not see, but we’re not going to try and control, at the highest level, what people do and wouldn’t want to.

They then went to questions from the audience, but my mind was still processing just exactly what Philip had said. Personally, I though Philip’s response was very good– although maybe in contradiction to some others statements.

Because I am a bit lazy, and Beth had already typed it up; I will quote from her blog Fanton’s closing statement.

As MacArthur begins is journey into Second Life, we begin with some assumptions. We assume that people in Second Life are people who care about others and who are open to most communicating across boundaries – both cultural and geographic. People in Second Life have optimism about what can happen and feel a strong desire to come together and work. We hope that together to make the virtual and physical worlds better. MacArthur believes that people who care and have the right information will do the right thing. We have a role to play to work with those of you in Second Life to figure appropriate policy and approaches. How can MacArthur harness the idealism that exists in Second Life?

Over all I think the MacArthur Foundation should be a welcome and successful addition to Second Life. Maybe helping to fund areas where individuals from different cultures can come together and get to know one another. Learn about each others problems and concerns, and help make the Real World a smaller, friendlier place.

The article is well thought out and extremely well written, giving pause for thought no matter what your beliefs on the subject might be.

If you are relative new to Second Life, reading an accurate (although necessarily brief) history on Second Life makes her article an excellent read.

If you are a “thinker” interested in the direction Second Life will could should grow; I am not sure this article will help you determine with any certainty how you will should actually would like to see Second Life grow, but will give you plenty to ponder.

Great post Gwyneth, makes me re-examine  some of my own thoughts.

On her personal blog, ATR International’s Marketing Programs Manager, Lisa Amorao discussed her first Second Life experience.

I flew around and stumbled upon a couple of “people.” I went in there thinking I was going to do the social networking thing (meet people) but something strange happened. I wasn’t in the mood for any “networking” at all (which, of course, I didn’t realize until after I left). A couple of people were following me and maybe they were trying to talk to me but I felt like I was being stalked. Because in real life, if you walk away from someone and they keep following you anyway and they don’t say a word, that’s kinda how it is. You’d think that person was creepy and you’d have no interest whatsoever in talking to that person. And then a few minutes later I encountered a half-something (horse-like creature) and half-man thing who said hello but really, I was just creeped out that I “flew” away.

I’ve always thought I was forward-thinking enough to interact with other people online and not have irrational fears about stalkers and such, but as this experience proved, irrational behavior (it’s not real, so what was I so afraid of?) isn’t always so apparent.

One hour in Second Life and already Lisa is discovering things about herself she had not been either able to recognize or admit to herself. She came to work the “network,” but appears to have been overwhelmed by it. Totally missing the creative, imaginative, tech edged personalities around her.

I think most marketers are completely missing the mark. They seem to be wanting to stay in the “print age” mind set. They want to know peoples credentials and experience first… before they decide if “someone” is ok to talk to, sale to, or get involved with in any way. Totally missing the fact that “the ways, they are a changing.”

The inhabitants of Second Life are usually pretty sharp, many on the cutting edge of tech people, and standard “branding” practices are not going to be as effective as in the past. Companies will come to realize that their “requirements” for maintaining their brands will become an anchor to them as standards are adopted which will allow for our avatars to “teleport” amongst different virtual worlds.

We the modern computer user now consumes and process so much information so quickly; marketers will have to learn to grab our attention with something creative, inventive, and allowing for a personal experience… build a confidence with us. Enough confidence that we might consider letting them become privy to our personal details.

Lisa states that she will come back to second Life, but not without planning more for the entering of an environment which over powered her senses on her first try.

I will use it to enhance my offline and online networking experiences — check out a SNS connection’s creations on SL, participate in SL events by “reputable” “real-world” companies like Cisco, IBM, Wells Fargo, just to name a few, and maybe learn to create new things.

Does anyone have any beginner’s tips on Second Life? Any islands I should visit? Where do I set up camp? Is there a real estate office

Yes, Lisa there are real estate offices in Second Life (lots of them)… and many wonderful islands to visit… several have been reported on here in this blog. Rather than go into which ones I like and where I will ask readers of VTOReality to tell you about places to visit.

I think it would be nice if you the readers would help Lisa out with tips for newbies, and interesting places to visit. I will simply try to encourage Lisa to enjoy the creativity, and uniqueness of the people around her… most everyone you meet will be nice, interesting, and good people to get to know… but you should also know there are some real a**holes also.

One recent Friday just as one of our meeting was coming to a close, there was a female avatar show up. She asked what was happening there.  Upon recognizing she had spoken, I informed her what we were doing then checked her profile. That day was her first or second day in Second Life.

I asked her what she thought about Second Life? She responded something along the line of “Well I just don’t get it. What is there really to do?”

I asked her what would she like to do? Go shopping, dancing, skydiving, scuba diving, etc.

She exclaimed, “You can do all that in here?

May I escort you around a little? I asked.

She Gratefully accepted my offer and told me she would like to dance, so I hit search and found a club with rock and roll and escorted her to the club. She nearly flipped when we got the music started and hit a couple dance balls. She kept hopping from dance ball set to dance ball set to see the dances. I showed her the difference about public chat and IMs or private messages. I spent about an hour with her answering her questions while we danced. I told her about altering her appearance, buying skin, clothes, toys, concerts, etc.

She is from Poland and our hours are usually opposite one another, but she is on my friends list. Several days later we caught up with one another when she IMed me and told me she had been shopping and wanted me to see her now!  She was now very proud of her looks, and couldn’t stop thanking me for being so nice to her our first meeting.  She told me she had already made the decision to leave Second Life when she happened upon our little group, and I had taken the time to show her around a little and teach her how to find things in the search… which sparked an interest in Second Life.

The point is, remember when you were new?  Did someone spend a few minutes with you?  Would you get enjoyment out of spending a little time with a newbie?  Will the newbie benefit from crossing your path? or pass right on by without your even noticing?

Everyday we enter Second Life we will usually have a chance to directly affect somebodies Second Life; especially a person who hasn’t been in Second Life more than a couple days.

I found the experience gratifying, and intend to do it again often — and hope this little post might get you to think about doing the same.

Yesterday in the post Court Ruling & Should We? I wrote:

“Cyberspace” what is it? What should it be?

“Cyberspace” is not inside your computer, nor the computer of people you are interacting with. Is it really inside a server somewhere in between? Or is that server simply a device which allows us to enter into “Cyberspace” as would be some space ship which would allow our us to reach distant solar system?

“Cyberspace” is a truly a place, some say it is not exactly real (which can be neither proved nor disproved) that is really a destination. As much a destination as an alternative dimension, or another planet in outer space. This place is an earnest and serious place where millions of us enter and leave it everyday.

Some give “Cyberspace” considerable thought, write about it, negotiate over international implications, or regulate it. regulate it… regulate it… regulate it… regulate it… regulate it… regulate it…

Should “Cyberspace” be regulated by any government body? Would they also regulate inhabitants of some distant planet revolving around some distant star? Maybe the question should be … Would we put up with government’s from some inhabited planet to regulate Earth?

How much right do we as a community of humans really have trying to control regulate force our ideas onto any alternate universe, dimension, country, or state?

click me for larger picture,

Today, thanks to fellow author TD Goodliffe’s post “Daniel Linden’s haunting words about SL at Standford Humanities Lab” pointing to the Washington Post article Does Virtual Reality need a Sheriff?, I find a quote by Philip Rosedale:

In the ideal case, the people who are in Second Life should think of themselves as citizens of this new place and not citizens of their countries.

“Rosedale said he hopes participants in Second Life eventually develop their own virtual legal code and justice system” stated the Washington Post.

These quotes leave me believing that Rosedale, Kapor, and I aren’t to far off on the basic idea of virtual laws. I have no idea how Jeff Bezos (founder of Amazon), Pierre Omidyar (founder of Ebay) think along these lines of “freedom” in cyberspace, but I know for a fact that I am a “Libertarian.”

To me “Libertarian” means, in its fundamental form, I believe each person should have the right to do anything they want to do; as long as doing so does not interfere with anyone else’s rights. (I know this is over simplistic on the surface) Yes, I know that the uproar right now is over “age play,” but I also realize that once any form of “rights” is given up… it never seems to stop. Today it is “age play” tomorrow it could be something in which you or I participate.

The thing about true freedom is: if you want it, you have to fight for things you may not personally believe, but might set standards which will lead to the removal of rights you do believe in. Again the string which connects rights are tied together, and once one falls — another is tugged upon putting it in peril.

Rosedale’s statement, “I hope participants in Second Life eventually develop their own virtual legal code and justice system,” needs careful consideration and thought before being acted upon. Yet, shouldn’t an alternate world have the right to govern itself?

Resident’s of Second Life are residents of an alternate world, and are citizens from around the globe. No country’s governments should be able to set its own form of standards upon a global community. That should be left to the global community!

Could and should an “Avatar Bill of Rights” and a “Constitution” be established for cyberspace?