I might complain a lot about the copycat articles people write to introduce SL to an ignorant audience, but I'm always ready to praise articles that do the job well. Case in point: Murray Whyte of the Toronto Star provides an excellent intro/state-of-the-world piece, which both mentions important events in SL's history as well as a positive, fitting final quote from no less than Urizenus Sklar himself.

One thought this article engendered in me, however, is the idea that just as it's impossible to escape commercialism in RL without radically modifying your life (which is certainly your right), it's going to prove equally so in SL before too long. The answer, therefore, is synthesis, rather than antithesis. Accept it. Embrace it. These things only affect you as much as you'll let them. While I'm dancing the night away at my favorite clubs, the fact that IBM owns several islands has no effect on my happiness. When I'm watching a game of Building Shelter, it really doesn't matter that Adidas is hawking its wares somewhere in the world. When I spend far too much time talking with random strangers, I just don't care that Pontiac wants us all to buy its cars.

Even if I did, would I really want that to be the reason I left SL? I was forced out by people with more money than me? Be like water, my friends, as Bruce Lee would say. Or, if you prefer, Be like the Internet: Route around it. Don't define your Second Life by avoidance of what you hate. Make it an example of what you love.

Fast Company recently quoted Chuck Hamilton, IBM's Director of the Center For Advanced Learning, on the topic of how IBM has been utilizing their SL space. From the piece: "We're seeing very senior IBMers swimming and flying next to people who have been in the business 10 months. The only thing I can tell you is, they seem pleased to be meeting this way."

If IBM find value in virtual meeting spaces, let's hope the rest of the RL businesses who are considering an SL presence follow suit.

Mitch Wagner of InformationWeekly has written an article which poses the question "Are virtual Worlds really the Next Internet?" One chief proponent of the 'yes they are' theory is the article's other focus, Corey Bridges, co-founder of MDC Multiverse Network, perhaps most famous for its announcement to create a Firefly MMOG.

Bridges' main point appears to be that the current generation, growing up as it is playing World of Warcraft and enjoying their Second Lives, will come to think of a 3D Internet as the Next Thing simply because they expect that it will be. Given that a percentage of these users will likely go on to develop applications for such a platform virtually guarantees such a vision.

At the same time, take a look at the money and time that big companies like IBM and Cisco are investing in SL alone, and it seems pretty clear that we're headed toward the next wave of Internet browsing standards. VRML, anyone?

David Kirkpatrick, Senior Editor of Fortune magazine, has written a thorough article on SL and its potential as a viable medium for communications. The most refreshing aspect of the article is that he drives home the point that SL is not a game, and that its success depends primarily on its acceptance as the next Big Thing: the 3D Internet.

It does, however, seem to be somewhat of a circular argument: to gain acceptance, respected and powerful RL companies must make use of SL in ways other than a mere playground, yet without knowing how exactly to do this, major companies are unlikely to take the plunge.

IBM keeps finding new ways to use Second Life for old things. A virtual parallel of the Lotusphere 2007 conference is one of the latest. The complex, pictured above, is an analogue of the one in Orlando, where the real life annual conference will be taking place.

7,000 people are expected to descend on the complex in Orlando to hear about the latest social/tech innovations in IBM Lotus software. The conference is being paralleled in Second Life so that people unable to attend the Orlando conference, for whatever reason, can still attend. I was able to catch up with Mags McLaglen, at the virtual site and speak with her for a few minutes about the virtual conference.

While the title of this article may be confusing to our international readers and anyone who has never eaten in a Denny's, the fact remains: The Australian Open will be receiving the virtual treatment today, courtesy of IBM.

IBM will be using real-time plotting and tracking data from the matches themselves to simulate actual play within SL, somewhat similar to the previously-covered Home Run Derby. The hope is that this will provide an immersive experience for those unable to attend the actual tournament. However, judging by the video hosted here, you'll need the absolute top-of-the-line specs on your computer to experience anything even remotely like reality. That's even if you've received an invitation to the event, which IBM has made a private affair.

(Via the Sydney Morning Herald)

The IBM group exploring the business opportunities of virtual worlds and Sears announced that they are launching a Sears presence in Second Life at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier today. According to Mark Wallace of 3PointD, the build will consist of floors showing off different consumer goods and allowing greater interactivity with the products than a conventional website would allow. Users will be able to customize the look and feel of both appliances and the environment, allowing them to test out how the appliance would work in their actual spaces.

It is refreshing to see Sears taking the initiative in embracing new technologies and markets as they are emerging. Sears has a track record of pioneering new methods of sales, with the Sears catalog redefining sales in the late 19th century. Hopefully this will be a reemergence of the brand as a pillar of innovation.

Update1: I removed the original image on Mark Wallace's request (See the comment 1 below). Mark I am sorry for any problems this may have caused you. Also I removed the language of "the store seems to have languished in recent years," as I think it may have been stronger then what I was trying to convey.

Irving Wladawsky-Berger is the head of technical strategy and innovation at IBM. His job seems to be making sure the company catches the front end of any new technology waves. As such, he is leading IBMs efforts into Second Life. As you probably already know IBM has been setting up shop in Second Life sense the beginning of the year and is getting ready to open 12 new islands including the project with Circuit City I wrote about earlier. Joining their previous effort, the Almaden Research Center, which is basically a step 2 from orientation island.

In an in depth interview with CNET Wladawsky-Berger explains IBMs efforts to launch a new Emerging Business Opportunity in 3D Internet and virtual worlds. He seems to be very clear that IBM's interests are greater than just Second Life and extend to the concept of Virtual Worlds at large. When asked how IBM and Linden Lab work together Wladawsky-Berger responded with, "...we would like to collaborate with them more, especially in the area of standards and open source. I think it would be very good to get the various virtual-world communities to participate in efforts to define standards and to define what it means to interoperate across virtual worlds..." Is this the beginning of Second There, or maybe Virtual Laguna Hotel? Most likely not, because the structural differences in these worlds are rather large, but I would like to see smaller battles won. Like the ability to transfer characters between worlds.

The AP has a story about Circuit City entering Second Life with the help of IBM. The project will be a big-box outlet recreated in Second Life. Residents will be able to browse the store in world and check out items they are thinking about purchasing. They will then be able to place their order online for home delivery. I wonder how they will work out their pick up in store feature.

Future expansion promises to add the ability to recreate your living room and try out different TVs and other products in a recreation of your actual room. So, you should be able to test out how the Wii will look in your living room while still not being able to actually purchase one (but hey, I'm not bitter).

"Chairman and Chief Executive Sam Palmisano is set to visit Second Life on Tuesday, following a "town hall" meeting with some 7,000 employees in China, and speak with the more than 250 IBM employees on one of the company's virtual islands." - IBM accelerates push into 3D virtual worlds, Reuters.

That's got to be one heck of an island that they've got going on there, I must say. 250 on an island is quite a stretch. 250 on a four-sim corner is still a stretch. Either IBM is getting much better toys, or they're planning to do this in shifts.

" The company said it is already holding meetings and conducting development inside virtual worlds with about 20 major clients, including telecommunications and aerospace firms, a petroleum company that wants to use virtual worlds for training and "a major grocer in the UK" that wants to build a virtual storefront that will allow consumers to buy real-world groceries online."

Nice to see they're not claiming to be first, either. IBM is definitely one that bears watching. The company had a very shaky transition into computing originally, with a reputation for second-rate business machines, but the best marketing team in the then corporate world.

That tarnished reputation has long since departed. IBM's there, working quietly in the background, soaking up talent, spending bundles on research, and making yet more bundles in the bargain. No longer the in-your-face edifice they once were, IBM works steadily in the background, finding niches, widening them, and making them their own. Not always with the greatest success, but IBM's quiet, ongoing, sober presence in Second Life is the biggest news you never hear residents talking about.

Halloween is, and has always been my favorite holiday. The freaks come out in force and let it all fly free. It's the one time during the year I feel like I can truly be myself. So it's with a happy heart that I bring you news of festivities in SL, which I will post as I become aware of them.

First off, IBM's Virtual Universe Community recently held an event wherein people were able to pick up new avatars, participate in a pumpkin-making tutorial, and generally share toys with each other. I particularly like the mini-Sephiroth! SD versions of people just appeal to the kid in me, I guess! Note: I'm not talking about my 'Inner Child'; I had that guy digested a long time ago.