Friends in Need

With the stories about the negative side of Second Life going around, such as griefers, sometimes the Metaverse can seem like a two-fisted place. And sometimes, one wonders. Would these people whom you call friends in virtual reality actually lift a finger if you were in trouble in reality? Recently, there were a couple examples of cases where the answer was yes.

Read the story in Communnity.

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US Army to Use Second Life to Aid Amputee Veterans

The US Army is making plans to purchase space in Second Life for the purpose of helping veteran amputees back into society. Named the Amputee Virtual Environment Support Space project, the virtual space is to be used by the wounded soldiers after they leave treatment centers.

“The avatar will be able to interact with other registered avatar beings – fellow amputees, caregivers, even friends and loved ones – in a virtual world that's unencumbered by the restrictions of time, distance or disability.” One program manager noted amputee soldiers once out of treatment faculties found themselves alone. The virtual world would help provide them with a group of peers for support.

“As AVESS develops, users also may be able to check in with their professional caregivers, asking questions, getting information updates, and even seeing online demonstrations of the best way to do a physical therapy exercise or adjust a prosthetic device.”

The contract was awarded in fall 2009 to ADL Co, "We tasked them with coming up with a roadmap, letting us know what was possible in developing a virtual world for amputee veterans, and letting us know what issues there are in terms of privacy, access, authenticating who was coming into the environment, all those types of issues," program manager Ashley Fisher explained.

The first phase involved a normal Second Life region, to see what they could do there. Their experiences also led to the conclusion they needed a secure area from unauthorized avatars, especially griefers whom would harass the wounded veterans.

"We wanted to avoid that, because we really did want the veterans to be able to go in and express the issues they are having with the people they know are going through the same thing," Fisher detailed, "And also, we needed it to be secure, because we want to try to bring families, and possibly even children, into the world, and we can't really do that on the regular Second Life platform." The area is being set up in a private, and secure, space in Second Life Enterprise , a region for private spaces marketed to corporations.

Fisher made comparisons to the movie “Avatar,” in which a former marine who lost his legs is able to go about in a new body through the use of a machine. She explained she saw “tremendous therapeutic value” in the amputees’ ability to “define their avatars as they choose, and to immerse themselves in those characteristics as they interact with other avatars.”

Fisher expected some to depict their amputations on their avatars with prosthetic limbs, though a number would do so only as they became more at ease with the virtual environment and the others in it. The “transformation” where they would come to “accept themselves and their new appearance” was hard enough when surrounded by their peers in a hospital, but harder when trying to fit back into society.

"For individuals with disabilities, virtual worlds are a powerful way to connect with others, to access peer support and to participate in activities that might not otherwise be possible," Fisher explained. "This project will establish the best way to adopt this technology for the unique needs of the military amputee community."

Source: The Official Website of the National Guard


Bixyl Shuftan

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BREAKING NEWS: Second Life Sold by Linden Labs to Chinese Corporation

(**Update** - April Fool ;-) )

Today in a stunning development, Linden Lab announced they had sold Second Life to China’s Baidu Corporation. In a brief printed statement released to the press, CEO Mark Kingdom stated the deal was reached after several weeks of secret negotiations.

Baidu Inc. is a major communications company in China, owning the top search engine there. It made a profit of over $600 million in 2007. It made the news recently as the company most likely to profit from Google’s troubles with the Chinese government.

On it’s blog, Mark Linden stated, “Letting Second Life go was not an easy decision. But Linden Labs has always prided itself on being on the forefront on the development of the technologies of virtual worlds. With Second Life becoming increasingly complex, we came to the conclusion we could not continue to both continue to be so and run our grand experiment. While we shall continue to improve Second Life, it will be through business deals with Baidu as new technologies become available.”

Baidu also had a statement on the Linden blog, “We welcome Second Life into Baidu ... As we have helped bring the Internet to China, so we hope to guide the virtual residents into a righteous harmonious band. ... We should remind that our company operates under a set of rules that require reverence and respect to the wise and honored statesmen of our government. Those whom run about in virtual reality in their boxers using their words as fists with no regard for the respect of their betters are asked to cease such behavior so we will not need to take actions all will regret.”

One of the Lindens supposedly stated that following the sale, Linden Lab will be cooperating with Facebook to make a sequel to the "Farmvile" game, but this is unconfirmed.

Details are still coming in about what is clearly a turning point in Second Life.

To go to the Linden blog post and comments, Click Here.

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Holocaust Survivor Speaking Out in Second Life Makes Real-Life News

About a year ago, Second Life Newspaper did a report on Fanny Starr ( Link ). She would speak at lectures through her daughter’s avatar, Explorer Dastardly (Helen Starr in real life). She would talk about her experiences and answer any questions from the audience.

Not only is Fanny Starr still giving her talks, such as in this video by Pooky Amsterdam, a glance at New World Notes showed she had made the attention of real-life news. A local TV station, KUSA-TV, did a story on her, and her lectures in Second Life.

Fanny Starr explained that live talks were necessary to explain her story, “You cannot ask a book a question. You cannot feel the pain of a survivors voice by reading her words.”

She hopes to educate people so the tragedy does not happen again, to Jewish people or anyone else, such as in recent tragedies in Africa.

Bixyl Shuftan

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Discussing Second Life in Real Life 2

Some time ago, I discussed some of the more interesting moments when talking about Second Life in real life (link). A few more things have happened since then.

Friends of mine have mentioned a few stories. One college student moaned that during high school, his classmates then considered him a “freak” for hanging out here. Others described showing it to friends and family, who didn’t always get it. One of the more inspiring stories was about one friend. In real life, she’s bound to a wheelchair. She once talked to some online friends about her wheelchair getting a little worn. Some time later, she received a check in the mail, enough to get her the new wheelchair she wanted.

From me, a few more stories. One neighbor of mine asked about the people I meet on Second Life. I mentioned some, but what got her attention were the people with disabilities, such as being unable to walk in real life, but getting about with ease here. Another was one former friend whom in real life had lost her voice due to cancer, but was able to converse normally here. My neighbor told me it sounded interesting, and would go there if she had a computer.

And some of my discussions end up with comical twists. Word had spread at my workplace during the last election that I write for an online newspaper. They still ask me about it a little, though are usually more interested in “Facebook” and “Farmville” than Second Life. One lady and I talked a little about how you could modify your character to look more or less like you want it to, whether to something like the user, a science-fiction exotic, or a glamour girl. The lady happened to be noticeably thin, and later on while talking, commented aloud she wouldn’t mind having a larger backside. I grinned, “You realize this is the first time outside of Second Life anyone’s talked to me about getting a bigger behind?” We both had a good laugh out of it.

Another day, another coworker asked about the online paper, then hearing it was about goings on in Second Life asked about that. I described it some. Then he asked, “Could you have sex with the girls there?” I was a little surprised that he’d bring that up, though this coworker did like to talk about the seedy side of life. I answered, “Well, you could engage in, virtual intimacy with a girl there if you wanted, and there are a few places that cater to that sort of thing. But just a few. Most people are there for other things.” He then grinned, “Have you ever done that?” My answer, “Um, I did tell you I go about there as a humanoid fox in a reporter's outfit. Do you imagine me going about with the ladies there as that?” Apparently either he could or he wasn’t listening, as his next few comments were that what I needed was a little “noogie,” even if just online.

I could have mentioned a few places I got brought to by friends or by accident, but it was probably best I didn’t.

Bixyl Shuftan

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Limo to San Francisco please

Poppy Zabelin reports from the real life Second Life Community Convention in San Francisco

What is real and what is virtual? I’m in San Francisco for the Second Life Com rlmunity Convention and sometimes it’s hard to believe I flew halfway round the world. It took me nearly two days to get here from the UK as the flight I was due to take on Monday was cancelled. Why didn’t I just tp here?

Wednesday, August 12 A good friend shows me some of the sights of San Francisco. We buy picnic foods at the Ferry Building and take the ferry out to Sausalito, passing Alcatraz island on the way and getting a fairly clear view of the Golden Gate Bridge, which has always been completely shrouded in fog on previous visits. A magical day, with time to relax and to get used to the time difference.

Thursday, August 13, 9 am. Time to set off for the Westin St Francis Hotel where the convention is being held. When I arrive I follow the noise up to the mezzanine floor. There’s a gathering crowd around what looks like a registration desk, but no badges or programs to be seen. Gradually the story unfolds. The registration materials have failed to rez. Otherwise it’s business as usual, and the sessions are due to start at noon. Aside from the slight inconvenience of not knowing who’s talking at any particular time, no-one seems particularly bothered by the lack of badges and programs. In fact, it acts as an ice-breaker and gets us talking to each other. I meet Frans Charming and Rhiannon Chatnoir who are familiar faces from last year. Somehow I manage to meet up with Bri and Pookie Gufler – one of the volunteers, Glennan Glenerg who like me is from the UK, takes a picture of me on his cell phone to show Bri if he sees him. Now why didn’t I think of that. Bri is the Health Track leader and we have had several meetings in world during the process of putting the track together. Bri introduces me to Pathfinder Linden who will be on a panel on Saturday with Treasure Ballinger, Ricken Flow, and myself. And then, I meet Gentle Heron ...

I recognize Gentle by her voice and fall under her spell. Gentle is someone I have long admired and meeting her in person is a great thrill. She has multiple sclerosis and is unable to stand unaided, and if she has to go very far she uses a wheelchair, but she has turned her disability into a gift and has used her second life to make a difference not only for herself but also for many others. Gentle came into Second Life with several others looking for a community to support people with disabilities and when they didn’t find it they decided to create it. What started as the Heron Sanctuary has evolved into Virtual Ability, Inc., which now helps people with a wide range of disabilities to enter and thrive in Second Life. Earlier this year, Virtual Ability was one of two projects to win the first ever Linden Prize. It’s not hard to understand why. VA is fundamentally changing the way people play and learn in Second Life, and it is bound not to stop there as Gentle is still full of ideas for the future.

Somehow I navigate Gentle’s wheelchair (which was damaged on her flight to San Francisco) and we find a place to sit, and find ourselves talking with Dusan Writer, another person I’ve admired from a distance and who I learn later is Doug Thomson in real life, the CEO of Remedy Communications, and Shirlee Mills, who makes and sells pianos in Second Life. Later, Gentle introduces me to Harper Beresford and we three go off for lunch together, Harper takes over the driving and does a better job of it than me. The conversation sparks so many ideas. Later I look up Harper’s blog, called ‘Harper’s Bizarre’. It’s witty and insightful, just like its writer. There is food for thought in her blog piece about ‘charities in SL’.

In the evening we go to the Linden Lab Luau in the Yerba Buena Garden opposite the Moseum of Modern Art. At the door there are, of course, freebies ... It seems slightly surreal to be surrounded by so many Second Life residents and Lindens wearing brightly colored leis and eating real food. After the party Flash Alcott shows me the memorial to Martin Luther King which is behind a magnificent 50-foot waterfall. We listen to the water falling and read the inscription ‘No, No, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until “justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”’

And then on to the ‘Blarney Stone on Tour’ where the Blarney Stone Bar in Second Life has taken over the real life Sellers Market on Market Street for the evening. We listen to Second Life musicians in real life and drink beer. It’s the sign of a good party when the beer starts flowing and this one is no exception ... one glass of beer takes flight and lands on me! So, back to the hotel to wash and brush up...............

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Taser Drops Lawsuit Against Linden Lab

On May 5th, Taser International Inc. dropped the lawsuit it had filed against Linden Lab last month, filing a Notice of Voluntary Case Dismissal. Taser had filed the suit on April 17th, against Linden Lab and various smaller parties, including SL businesses, citing trademark infringement over virtual replicas of it’s nonlethal weapons sold without it’s permission.

It was not explained why the suit was dropped, although some virtual goods within Second Life had their descriptions altered, stating they were not endorsed by Taser. Taser had dropped the case before Linden Lab had given any answer to them, and they could choose to file the suit again at another time.

Sources: Patent Arcade, Virtual Worlds News

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Linden Labs Sued by Taser

Taser International Inc. filed a lawsuit against Linden Labs on April 17th, citing trademark infringement, claiming it sells virtual versions of it’s stun weapons without it’s permission.

Taser says its reputation and it’s sales are being hurt by Linden Labs allowing virtual weapons to be sold in Second Life under the Taser brand name. The suit claims Linden Labs and third-party companies within SL are “selling virtual weaponry in a fully fledged copy of plaintiff’s real ones for use in the Second Life computer simulation.”

Taser says the unauthorized use of it’s name was especially damaging as the online stores also include pornographic material. "All of the defendants that sell virtual weaponry like plaintiff's real ones, under the mark Taser for use in the Second Life programs and grids, also sell adult-only explicit images and scenes," according to the suit.

Besides Linden Labs, the suit names as defendants LL founder Philp Rosedale, CEO Mark Kingdon, and Chief Financial Officer John Zdanowski, as well as SL companies such as XStreet SL and Virtuatrade LLC. Taser is suing for damages over $75,000.

Taser designs and builds stun guns for use by police and military, but also markets a line of the weapons for civilian use. Taser itself has been the subject of lawsuits.

The 102 page suit was filed in Federal court in Phoenix Arizona. The case is Taser International Inc. v. Linden Research Inc., 2:09-cv-00811


Sources: Bloomberg, The Escapist

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“Tea Party” Protest in Second Life

Across the United States on Wednesday April 15th, people held “tea parties” to protest government spending policies. Here in Second Life, residents held their own tea party to voice their concerns about how politicians were spending tax money, as well as other issues.

Read more in EVENTS.

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