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Sunday, July 20, 2008

Users Say Second Life Is More Fun Than Frustrating

By Amanda Schoenberg
Journal Staff Writer
       With media hype and new awareness among residents, virtual crimes are making headlines. But many New Mexico users say the dark side of Second Life is hard to find.
    For Albuquerque resident Reggie Roark, whose Second Life avatar Reg Mannonen wears a sharp three-piece suit and trim facial hair, the virtual world is an ideal way to connect with other enterprising locals in the group "New Mexicans in SL." Several New Mexicans earn a living from their Second Life designs alone, he added.
    Roark discounts the emphasis on crime in Second Life.
    "It's impossible to commit most crimes in here, like theft or rape or violence of any kind, no drug sales, no bribes to politicians, no shoplifting!" Reg wrote in a Second Life instant message.
    But Roark acknowledged that content theft is a concern.
    Creating the "skins" avatars use to appear more realistic takes time to design and each one costs about $10. When he sees the same stolen skin for 100 Linden (or about 50 cents), it is bad news for the Second Life economy, he said.
    He has even boycotted stores that sell stolen designs.
    "I know I protect my creations and would surely seek legal remedies if someone was stealing my stuff and selling it for pennies on the dollar," he added.
    Jenna Kammer, a computer technology and library science instructor at New Mexico State University, has also visited Second Life for years. Kammer teaches distance learning classes on Second Life, mostly to professors looking to use the virtual world in new ways.
    On Second Life, Kammer and her avatar Jendanna Sosa stick to educational pursuits like holding office hours on the school's private "Aggie Island." She said she has been harassed a few times, but mostly at virtual clubs and bars. Even then, Kammer said, it is easy to teleport away from an offensive avatar and report his or her behavior.
    "I've always approached Second Life from a realistic point of view," she said. "I see it as a tool."
    Albuquerque marketer Reid Givens, who has sent several clients to Second Life to market their products, said the site is useful for businesses looking to engage with their communities. And in more than two years of using Second Life, he hasn't seen or been a victim of crime.
    But he pointed out that Second Life has significant competition from about 50 other virtual worlds. When another company surpasses Linden Lab's technology and manages to curb virtual crime, things could get hairy for Second Life.