Socially|Mundane

"...get a Second Life, where you can pay real money for virtual property, clothing and sex from a ridiculously proportioned cyber prostitute who may or may not be a fat middle-aged man in real life.If you're scratching your head in a bewildered manner, it's unlikely that your computer usage extends beyond the obligatory office hours and the occasional email to your cousin in Maatjiesfontein."

I *love* this opening.

I don't know from which country "iAfrica' hails from or who their target audience is, but the introductions to Second Life as a new phenomenon is still rampant throughout the world.

Unfortunately, most journalists totally hose up the concept and just make themselves look like lazy imbeciles to those in the know. However, in this case, there is a reporter who actually did some research.

And yes, I know this isn't the first time someone got it right. It's just been so long, it's refreshing all over again.

Kudos to you.

See the story called "Much to do about life"

It is important to note that Second Life is a virtual world, not a massively multiplayer online (MMO) game. That is, there are no set objectives, no apparent purpose. Furthermore, there is the possibility of creating meaningful relationships with other residents.

An important question, therefore, is do the same rules (and in Second Life there are very few) apply?

In a game, blowing up a fellow gamer may be imperative to achieving success. In Second Life, where there are no set objectives, gunning down a fellow resident or setting off an atomic bomb is tantamount to virtual murder. Luckily no one actually dies in Second Life — your avatar either reappears at a home point or is resurrected when you next log on — but the implications are a little concerning.

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