Comments on: The problem with Second-Life is … it just sucks! http://www.virtualchaos.co.uk/blog/2006/12/12/the-problem-with-second-life-is-it-just-sucks/ I thought what I'd do was, I'd pretend I was one of those deaf mutes ... or should I? Fri, 12 Feb 2010 20:29:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Free http://www.virtualchaos.co.uk/blog/2006/12/12/the-problem-with-second-life-is-it-just-sucks/comment-page-1/#comment-20788 Free Sat, 25 Aug 2007 00:54:44 +0000 http://www.virtualchaos.co.uk/blog/2006/12/12/the-problem-with-second-life-is-it-just-sucks/#comment-20788 <strong> Horny cam girls, free live video chat...</strong> ... Horny cam girls, free live video chat…

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]]> By: VirtualChaos - Nadeem’s blog » Terrorism in SecondLife … and some other thoughts http://www.virtualchaos.co.uk/blog/2006/12/12/the-problem-with-second-life-is-it-just-sucks/comment-page-1/#comment-9920 VirtualChaos - Nadeem’s blog » Terrorism in SecondLife … and some other thoughts Sat, 26 May 2007 09:06:45 +0000 http://www.virtualchaos.co.uk/blog/2006/12/12/the-problem-with-second-life-is-it-just-sucks/#comment-9920 [...] They aren’t the only commercial organisation that has been targetted in this way. What I found was more interesting was this bit of research done by Tateru Nino that provides some numbers for how many SL users actually visit corporate sites created in SL. Perhaps it’s like I said before … people don’t want to visit Dell or Coco Cola in a virtual fantasy world. [...] [...] They aren’t the only commercial organisation that has been targetted in this way. What I found was more interesting was this bit of research done by Tateru Nino that provides some numbers for how many SL users actually visit corporate sites created in SL. Perhaps it’s like I said before … people don’t want to visit Dell or Coco Cola in a virtual fantasy world. [...]

]]> By: Blobblin Snickledip http://www.virtualchaos.co.uk/blog/2006/12/12/the-problem-with-second-life-is-it-just-sucks/comment-page-1/#comment-4109 Blobblin Snickledip Sun, 15 Apr 2007 16:17:54 +0000 http://www.virtualchaos.co.uk/blog/2006/12/12/the-problem-with-second-life-is-it-just-sucks/#comment-4109 Actually, I think Ryan's on to something. Studies have shown that physical attractiveness does affect one's ability to get away with things, to influence others. SecondLife gives people the opportunity to experience social power. If you already have it in RL, then what's the big deal? On a side-note, it is not strictly necessary for male avatars in SL to be controlled by RL males, or for female avatars in SL to be controlled by RL females. This opens up the possibility for females to experience the power of being male. Again, if you already have it in RL, what's the appeal? Actually, I think Ryan’s on to something.

Studies have shown that physical attractiveness does affect one’s ability to get away with things, to
influence others.
SecondLife gives people the opportunity to experience social power.
If you already have it in RL, then what’s the big deal?

On a side-note, it is not strictly necessary for male avatars in SL to be controlled by RL males, or
for female avatars in SL to be controlled by RL females. This opens up the possibility for females
to experience the power of being male. Again, if you already have it in RL, what’s the appeal?

]]> By: nadeem.shabir http://www.virtualchaos.co.uk/blog/2006/12/12/the-problem-with-second-life-is-it-just-sucks/comment-page-1/#comment-87 nadeem.shabir Sat, 27 Jan 2007 10:09:38 +0000 http://www.virtualchaos.co.uk/blog/2006/12/12/the-problem-with-second-life-is-it-just-sucks/#comment-87 Ryan, Thanks for your comment. And thank you for acknowledging that my arguments are at least valid academically. I think your wrong when you say that "It provides the fewest barriers between prospect and their disposable income on the web", SL is the wrong metaphor for those types of interaction as many others have commented on. I wasn't attacking Second Life users, I was criticising Second Life as a poor metaphor for real world activities. I was also raising some concerns about the monetary exchange system and at least one notable vulnerability in it. I would have thought that might have been of use to anyone trading real dollars for Lindens - since they are ostensibly running businesses in there. I do it find it worrying that you think SL gives people not born with the most advantageous feature set a chance to see what their real life could have been like ... I'd hazard a guess that many SL users (and those who are not) might find that observation quite offensive. Ryan,
Thanks for your comment.
And thank you for acknowledging that my arguments are at least valid academically.
I think your wrong when you say that “It provides the fewest barriers between prospect and their disposable income on the web”, SL is the wrong metaphor for those types of interaction as many others have commented on.

I wasn’t attacking Second Life users, I was criticising Second Life as a poor metaphor for real world activities. I was also raising some concerns about the monetary exchange system and at least one notable vulnerability in it. I would have thought that might have been of use to anyone trading real dollars for Lindens – since they are ostensibly running businesses in there.

I do it find it worrying that you think SL gives people not born with the most advantageous feature set a chance to see what their real life could have been like … I’d hazard a guess that many SL users (and those who are not) might find that observation quite offensive.

]]> By: ryan cameron http://www.virtualchaos.co.uk/blog/2006/12/12/the-problem-with-second-life-is-it-just-sucks/comment-page-1/#comment-84 ryan cameron Sat, 27 Jan 2007 01:41:27 +0000 http://www.virtualchaos.co.uk/blog/2006/12/12/the-problem-with-second-life-is-it-just-sucks/#comment-84 SL is just an easy to use 3d engine that allows one to create visual mock ups of whatever they can think of...and it provides a forum to share those ideas with others, and in some cases sell those ideas immediately for real money. It provides the fewest barriers between prospect and their disposable income on the web, and its a forum for like minded individuals to meet and greet. While some people may choose to masquerade as whatever, it does allow people who were, say, not born with the most avantagous feature set to get a taste of what life may have been like if they were born better looking that Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt. So while your criticisms may be valid academically, they provide little benefit to anyone, except for your "smug sense of self satisfaction" which, if you are lucky, may power your car some day. SL is just an easy to use 3d engine that allows one to create visual mock ups of whatever they can think of…and it provides a forum to share those ideas with others, and in some cases sell those ideas immediately for real money. It provides the fewest barriers between prospect and their disposable income on the web, and its a forum for like minded individuals to meet and greet. While some people may choose to masquerade as whatever, it does allow people who were, say, not born with the most avantagous feature set to get a taste of what life may have been like if they were born better looking that Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt.

So while your criticisms may be valid academically, they provide little benefit to anyone, except for your “smug sense of self satisfaction” which, if you are lucky, may power your car some day.

]]> By: VirtualChaos - Nadeem’s blog » Second Life Client code to be open sourced http://www.virtualchaos.co.uk/blog/2006/12/12/the-problem-with-second-life-is-it-just-sucks/comment-page-1/#comment-33 VirtualChaos - Nadeem’s blog » Second Life Client code to be open sourced Mon, 08 Jan 2007 17:10:56 +0000 http://www.virtualchaos.co.uk/blog/2006/12/12/the-problem-with-second-life-is-it-just-sucks/#comment-33 [...] I know I’ve bitched about Second Life and why I think it sucks however I was interested to learn that they had finally decided to Open Source the code for their client software. Whilst this means that that interested developers can develop their own client software based on this, Linden Labs will still control all the proprietary backend server code that actually controls the virtual world’s. [...] [...] I know I’ve bitched about Second Life and why I think it sucks however I was interested to learn that they had finally decided to Open Source the code for their client software. Whilst this means that that interested developers can develop their own client software based on this, Linden Labs will still control all the proprietary backend server code that actually controls the virtual world’s. [...]

]]> By: I Really _Don't_ Know http://www.virtualchaos.co.uk/blog/2006/12/12/the-problem-with-second-life-is-it-just-sucks/comment-page-1/#comment-16 I Really _Don't_ Know Fri, 22 Dec 2006 13:01:18 +0000 http://www.virtualchaos.co.uk/blog/2006/12/12/the-problem-with-second-life-is-it-just-sucks/#comment-16 <strong>Why virtual worlds suck......</strong> And why they don't have to... So, I've been spending too much time in Second Life and broadly agree with Nad's "The problem with Second Life". But why does it suck and what would I want instead? Well first I...... Why virtual worlds suck……

And why they don’t have to… So, I’ve been spending too much time in Second Life and broadly agree with Nad’s “The problem with Second Life”. But why does it suck and what would I want instead? Well first I……

]]> By: I Really _Don't_ Know http://www.virtualchaos.co.uk/blog/2006/12/12/the-problem-with-second-life-is-it-just-sucks/comment-page-1/#comment-15 I Really _Don't_ Know Wed, 13 Dec 2006 15:58:04 +0000 http://www.virtualchaos.co.uk/blog/2006/12/12/the-problem-with-second-life-is-it-just-sucks/#comment-15 <strong>Second Life... All the wrong reasons...</strong> Warren Ellis posts a colourful description of his drop into Second Life. This is an extreme position. I'm a non-paying user of SL and have managed to avoid being harangued in any of these ways. At work we've looked at...... Second Life… All the wrong reasons…

Warren Ellis posts a colourful description of his drop into Second Life. This is an extreme position. I’m a non-paying user of SL and have managed to avoid being harangued in any of these ways. At work we’ve looked at……

]]> By: Gowron http://www.virtualchaos.co.uk/blog/2006/12/12/the-problem-with-second-life-is-it-just-sucks/comment-page-1/#comment-12 Gowron Wed, 13 Dec 2006 13:29:37 +0000 http://www.virtualchaos.co.uk/blog/2006/12/12/the-problem-with-second-life-is-it-just-sucks/#comment-12 I think you miss the point of Second Life. No - I'm not an advocate either. It holds no interest for me but I can see why it attracts people. Its really just an evolution of the old chatroom concept where people go and mix with other likeminded people about things they have in common. Its just a glorified version of that but with a commercial element to make it more interesting (and to profit from it). I can imagine that anyone who used to frequent chatrooms will be hooked on Second Life - but as I said it does tend to leave me cold. I think you miss the point of Second Life. No – I’m not an advocate either. It holds no interest for me but I can see why it attracts people.

Its really just an evolution of the old chatroom concept where people go and mix with other likeminded people about things they have in common. Its just a glorified version of that but with a commercial element to make it more interesting (and to profit from it).

I can imagine that anyone who used to frequent chatrooms will be hooked on Second Life – but as I said it does tend to leave me cold.

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