Second Life is King of Social Networks?
Second Life developer Linden Labs released a few numbers last week, revealing that its users have spent one billion hours socializing and building the virtual world. Unlike most MMORPGs, Second Life isn't necessarily a task-oriented game, nor does it offer any kind of role-playing elements. In fact, many will argue that it's not a game at all, but a virtual social website. Linden Labs agrees, comparing its creation with other popular destinations.
"Second Life Residents spend an average of about 100 minutes in-world per visit," the company reported in this press release. "This average session time is significantly greater than those seen with popular social networking Web sites and reveals the uniquely high level of engagement Residents have with Second Life."
Linden Labs also provided additional interesting details surrounding Second Life, reporting that residents have spent more than (the equivalent of) $1 billion USD in transactions between each Resident, purchasing virtual goods and services from one another. Residents are also creating more than 250,000 new virtual goods each day, have used more than 18 billion minutes of voice chat since 2007, and send approximately 1,250 text-based messages each day. Linden Labs also said that the virtual terrain of Second Life is roughly the size of Rhode Island.
With that said, it's difficult to throw Second Life into the same group as Facebook, MySpace, and other social networks. But in relation to selling virtual goods, Second Life does take the grand prize, but then again, Facebook and other static social sites are focused on an entirely different network of people. Could Second Life really be considered as the king of social networks?
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Wow, this is ridiculous. What happened to people living their actual lives, not just virtual ones, and spending money on actual physical things that actually matter?
Wow, this is ridiculous. What happened to people living their actual lives, not just virtual ones, and spending money on actual physical things that actually matter?
Is there really a difference?
I like my real stuff and people. I prefer lips/sound/touch to reading text or VoIP.
It's an interesting idea. It's only a matter of time before all the big real world companies get their hands into the real world money being passed around these alternative social networking / game sites.
I did Second Life for a little while. It's ok, but in the end it just feels a little thin. If I'm going to spend time in a social online environment, I'd prefer a directed experience (i.e. a game) such as World of Warcraft or whatever game you prefer.
I think these guys who made Second Life like the smell of their own shit.
Maybe because it's a GAME and the other social networking websites are just plain html WEBSITES.
I think these guys who made Second Life like the smell of their own shit. Maybe because it's a GAME and the other social networking websites are just plain html WEBSITES.
... What social network is plain HTML? Kind of hard to be social on a non-dynamic website.
... What social network is plain HTML? Kind of hard to be social on a non-dynamic website.
I know it's not just HTML in literal terms but my point being that it is a text & image website vs. an online 3D game. I wonder who wins.
Its actually sad. How long until the human race never leaves there homes since they can live in the virtual world. God this sucks.
That's what she said.
Go. Away.
Second Life is still around? This guy must be living in his own virtual world to think this is the top social network.
I think El Capitan brings up a good point. We live in a consumerist society that runs on the manufactured belief that we need all these products of modern convenience: computers, TV, internet, cellphones. But taken in the light of primitive societies that have little to no contact with the trappings of the modern world, the question then arises in thinking minds: Do we need all this shit? And if not, what is the difference between this world and a virtual one?
Once Second Life is embedded into a website using latest html/css standards, it will compete with facebook, etc...
Is there really a difference?
I wish this weren't true.
I seem to remember from a long time ago a SF BOOK (You know one of those things with pages that you can open, read for a while and then close again? And there are these special things called BOOKMARKS that let you immediately go back to where you last closed the BOOK...?) that had at its premise people only meeting virtually... Can't remember how it turned out. Probably similar to the Shakers or the Jonesians or the Waccos... Badly.
what second life is the number one social website?!!!!?? wait let me check on myspace...
I honestly cannot bring myself to believe people actually spend time and money on this crap. I think all the numbers are manufactured and the news reports are exaggerated. Either that or the anti-christ is real and running it....
So what'll it be.... blue pill? or red pill?
what second life is the number one social website?!!!!?? wait let me check on myspace...
Someone still uses myspace? o_0
Some companies use SL to have meetings and all. I tried SL once and played it maybe 2 times. I couldn't be bothered.
I have been on Second Life since May of 2008.
I do have "friends" who I only know in Second Life but I am not there just for social networking.
I enjoy the creative and tech part of it. I would best describe it to computer people as a Grand Theft Auto city that is full of people who build and rebuild the places and everything in them. Each person has a creative approach to what they do there. Some of it is amazing.
I have designed and built a house that I use as a home base. I built an airplane that can be flown much like airplanes in video games. I enjoy the creative side of building, designing and using things that I made myself or with friends.
There is also a chatroom /instant messenger type social aspect that gives it the "social networking" label.
I have a partner who I spend a lot of my time with. Most people do form relationships that are most often male / female. It can be a very personal experience and I know several people who married people they met in Second Life. I am not on Second Life for the "social networking" but some people I met there have become important to me. I don't have any interest in Facebook type websites.
I would recommend Second Life to anybody who enjoys technology because it is an amazing experience and allows you to design and "build" in a way that is very creative.
Second Life is completely free unless you choose to pay for your own private area or buy things from other people. Most people join on a free account and spend no money at all for the first few months but it can be digital heroin and you find yourself addicted and buying things you had not know existed before you joined.
I spend free time there instead of time I may have otherwise spent watching television. I have found it an amazing experience.
I still have my real life.
All the social networking sites are useful as a tool.
For example, Facebook can help me to organise a family day out or my friends coming over for a barbeque.
But at the end of the day, life is still not led inside the website, or on SL, you live and breathe and if you occasionally switch off and look out through the curtains you will see te sun shining and ***OMG!!!***
REAL PEOPLE!!! Instead of spending 8 hours a day jacking off to dodgy porn there are real women out there that will actually do those things.
It used be people said "Wow, have you seen all this amazing stuff on the internet?", whereas what we should really be saying is "Wow, have you seen all this amazing stuff in REAL LIFE!!!"
Everyone, after the count of 3, upgrade your Facebook status to "Gone out to breathe fresh air and not be a sad bastard"
WALL-E is happening?
I remember the episode of "The Office" where Dwight has a character in Second Life that looks exactly like him but he could fly. Lol. Funny stuff.
I have been on Second Life since May of 2008.I do have "friends" who...blahblahblah.
So...I have to surmise from your long winded, babbling about second life being a gift from God, that you obviously work there or have some sort of stake in second life.
I leave you with this request. Please hop in your little virtual airplane and crash it into your little virtual house and maybe throw yourself off a cliff for good measure.
Hail to the King baby!!
Second Life = No Life?
My 2nd life experience lasted 30 minutes. I could control the avatar the quick interactive way I was used to in WoW. I was invited there by a 'non gamer' who told me this was the normal way to control it.
On second thought, I might give 2nd life a 2nd try now, I still have the program installed. Just to see if my 'out of WoW addiction' experience is any different.
Unexpected, I had forgotten my 2nd life Name/Surname

Expected, my Fiancee got her hands on the 'game' and spent all night on it