Though a pile of recent mainstream media coverage and a Jeff Bezos round of investment may have turned many readers on to the virtual world of Second Life only recently, it (like many parts of the Web 2.0 world) is not entirely new. The virtual world is celebrating it’s third birthday starting today. According to the Second Life history wiki, the world’s creators Linden Lab took the project public on June 23rd, 2003. At an exchange rate of roughly 250 Linden Dollars to the US Dollar, the Second Life economy offers as as many goods for sale as four Walmart stores. Linden Lab reports that the Second Life economy is on a pace to hit $60 million in user-to-user transactions this year and is growing at a rate of 15%.
From the American Cancer Society to Wells Fargo Bank, a wide variety of organizations have opened virtual offices in Second Life. In case you haven’t heard of Second Life yet, Second Life is a 3-D virtual world entirely built and owned by its residents. Since opening to the public in 2003, it has grown explosively and today is inhabited by a total of 2,288,188 people from around the globe. From the moment you enter the World you’ll discover a vast digital continent, teeming with people, entertainment, experiences and opportunity. Once you’ve explored a bit, perhaps you’ll find a perfect parcel of land to build your house or business. You’ll also be surrounded by the Creations of your fellow residents. Because residents retain the rights to their digital creations, they can buy, sell and trade with other residents. The Marketplace currently supports millions of US dollars in monthly transactions. This commerce is handled with the in-world currency, the Linden dollar, which can be converted to US dollars at several thriving online currency exchanges.
So check out Second Life now! 