In Case You Missed it: Second Life Press Highlights from the Week of February 22

In Case You Missed it: Second Life Press Highlights from the Week of February 22

Posted by Pete Linden 

It's been quite a week for Second Life press! The press archive page has been updated with more Second Life press coverage, and below are some highlights from the week.

Viewer 2 launched in beta on Tuesday, with some great press attention. One of my favorite pieces was Robert Scoble's video interview with M Linden, which you can watch over at Building 43. Robert took the time to visit the Lab on Battery Street here in San Francisco last Friday to film the interview, and he and M had a great conversation. Mitch Wagner (aka the Copper Robot) also published a thoughtful review of Viewer 2 (and a follow-up) for Computerworld after having interviewed T Linden inworld. There's so much more good stuff on this topic - including great posts from well-known Second Life bloggers, so please do check out the archive for more. Next week, you can check out Amanda Linden and Esbee Linden on Wednesday's episode of Metanomics, where they'll be talking more about Viewer 2 and the beta launch.
If you're following @SLBallyhoo on Twitter, you may already seen a great CNN Money segment about Second Life DJ Doubledown Tandino as part of their 'Best Job's series. Congratulations on the great coverage, Doubledown!


Buddhist magazine the Shambhala Sun carried an article sharing one Buddhist's experience exploring Second Life. In it, the author (pictured right, from the site) writes that he joined a discussion with about 20 other avatars and says, "For me this was great: I hadn’t met many Buddhists in the real world so it had been hard to discuss things I was curious about." This gets at one of the great things about Second Life - the opportunity to connect with (and learn from) others in a meaningful way that you may not have the chance to in the physical world.

Not Second Life-specific, but interesting nonetheless: this week, the AFP covered research from Stanford University's Virtual Human Interaction Lab, exploring the impact that having an avatar can have on the rest of our lives. You can find the AFP piece over at France24, and check out Stanford University News' coverage of it as well.

Also this week, Ethical Corporation published a post about a new book called The Responsibility Revolution, which will be released on March 15. Linden Lab is among the companies profiled in the book, and some of our internal tools like the Love Machine are presented.

As always, check out the press archive and follow @SLBallyhoo on Twitter for more Second Life coverage highlights - there's more coming!

Announcing the Linden Endowment for the Arts

Supporting The Arts in Second Life
Posted by Niko Linden 
via https://blogs.secondlife.com/community/community/blog/2010/02/23/supporting-the-arts-in-second-life 

Announcing the Linden Endowment for the Arts
In the upcoming months, it is our pleasure to take a more active role in encouraging the arts inside of Second Life. We are excited to announce the creation of a Linden Endowment for the Arts (LEA) program which will help support, encourage, and highlight Second Life artists and their work. We hope that the collaboration between Linden Lab and the wealth of talented Second Life artists will contribute to a vibrant new chapter for the arts in Second Life.

The Linden Endowment for  the Arts (LEA) program's goal is twofold:

1. To create an immersive space for artists to share their art, build connections, and prosper in the Second Life community
2. To provide a new way for artwork to live on within our ever-changing virtual world. 

While still under design, this program will be a partnership between Linden Lab and Second Life artists, with the additional objective of gathering, displaying, and maintaining art at an inworld Arts Hub. We are currently building the LEA organizing committee, which will include members of the Second Life artist community and Linden Lab employees, to guide the program's management. Under the creative direction, organization and guidance of the LEA committee, we will hold biannual art exhibitions, highlighting the most creative artwork happening inworld.

Getting Involved
Whether you're interested in joining the committee or simply have a useful suggestion to share, don't be shy—go ahead and submit a LEA Committee Application or post your suggestions below. We are looking for a small but dedicated group of individuals who are willing to make an ongoing time commitment to this program. Got other thoughts? Post 'em below!

We can't wait to start working with the arts community on this tremendous endeavor. Stay tuned to the Community Blog as more information becomes available!

What is the current rate of service charge for (Second Life) DJs - A Thread in the Second Life Blogs

There is an active conversation thread in the Second Life blogs:

What is the current rate of service charge for DJs

If you're interested, have a read.  There are many valid points from various people.  The discussion is in regards to the "average" pay for a DJ in Second Life, and why a DJ/performer may or may not charge for an event.

Just wanted to bring it to your attention if you are a venue owner, a booking manager or agent, or a DJ looking for gigs in Second Life.   This thread is also relevant to live musicians, singers, and performers as well.

Applications for the 2010 Linden Prize are now open : Win $10,000usd for an Innovative Inworld Project in Second Life

Applications for the 2010 Linden Prize are now open!

Via Blondin Linden on Linden Lab/Second Life Blogs

Last November, we announced and launched the inaugural Linden Prize. You can find the original blog HERE. From that initial post:

"The Linden Prize will award one Second Life Resident or team with $10,000 USD for an innovative inworld project that improves the way people work, learn and communicate in their daily lives outside of the virtual world. The award is intended to align with Linden Lab’s company mission, which is to connect all people to an online world that advances the human condition. Many projects inside of Second Life have already enhanced and changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people around the world, and the company wants to recognize the users’ accomplishments."

I am happy to announce that applications for the 2010 Linden Prize are now open! Applications will be open starting today and will close at 5pm PST on January 15, 2010. Tentatively, a winner will be announced during the first week of May.

We invite all Residents to consider applying for the award. Finalists will be chosen based on the below criteria.

• Work in Second Life that also achieves tangible, compelling results outside of Second Life.
• Distinctive, original work using Second Life that clearly demonstrates high quality, execution, function, aesthetics and technical sophistication.
• Work that has the capacity for inspiring and influencing future development, knowledge, creativity, and collaboration both inside and outside of Second Life.

Also, check out the Linden Prize FAQ Page to ensure you meet all the requirements. Once confident that your project meets the criteria, you can Apply Here

More Information
Still not sure whether or not you should apply? Read more about the Linden Prize at these helpful links.
Linden Prize Site
Linden Prize FAQ
2009 Linden Prize Finalist/Special Mentions
 
2009 Linden Prize Co-Winners Project Websites
      Virtual Ability Island
      Studio Wikitecture

Localized:

• French Page and FAQ
  
• German Page and FAQ
  
• Japanese Page and FAQ

If your questions are not answered in the FAQ's page above, join the discussion below and post your comments in the forum.

Linden Lab Bans Camping and Traffic Bots | Linden Lab | Second Life

FINALLY!
Linden Lab Bans Camping and Traffic Bots

Conclusion to the Blog Post on Bots
Posted by Jack Linden

"...Camping or Traffic Bots

Almost everyone agrees that using Bots to manipulate traffic (and therefore Search rankings) is unfair. Not only with respect to Search itself but also due to the load on Mainland Region resources and how that can impact other Residents in the area. Therefore we are setting policy that attempting to gain an unfair Search advantage, by the use of Bots to inflate the Traffic for a parcel, will be considered a violation. This policy applies to both Mainland and Private Estates as both are represented in Search.Therefore we are setting policy that attempting to gain an unfair Search

How Will This Be Enforced?

This time next week we will begin to routinely look at the Search results and where we find clear use of Bots to gain an unfair Search advantage we will be handling it as an abuse issue. We will not need you to abuse report this, instead we will monitor the Search results. To begin with we will message the land owner to issue a warning, but this will escalate to an account suspension or removal from Search if it persists. The usual Abuse-appeals process will be available for anyone that feels that the decision is unfair.

We will not be banning or removing Bots from Second Life. There are many amazing and useful ways to use Bots and the fact that in some circumstances they can be misused should not impact the more constructive users of Bots. We wouldn't remove Scripting because it can sometimes be used in bad ways, and Bots are no different in that respect. Going forward we are going to look at ways to allow you to voluntarily identify to us that an account is a Bot, so that we can remove it from Traffic completely.

read more | digg story

Liquid Electric | Eureka - The SL Travel Blog

Liquid Electric

Posted by Blue Linden on Eureka - The SL Travel Blog (official LL community blog)

During a recent office hour, a number of fine folks joined me on an excursion to a Region that gets much deserved praise, but that most of us had only seen in pictures. And I must insist... although they give you a taste of the neon adventure that awaits, pictures do little justice to Spiral Walcher's work.

You start your voyage in a realistic environment and perpetual darkness, I suspect as contrast to what comes next. Following the glowing footsteps leads you to the start of your magical journey (or a souvenir shop depending on which way you go) where it's down the acid-trippy rabbit hole you go! Briefly separated as we plunge one at a time through the electric entryway, we arrive at the start of what turns out to be a familiar preface - the traditional amusement park lineup where you wait for the next car to arrive. Or in this case, the next teacup.

While waiting for our whole crew's descent, a couple rushes by us like excited kids who just finished their first go and are running back to the start for a second, while a more reserved couple stands by, hesitant about which might be the appropriate vehicle...are they simply Friends or is a Couples teacup more appropriate? Leaving the two to giggle and flirt a bit, and hoping they make the right decision, we split up by fours and cup by cup are immersed in the Glow!

GLOW, a feature enabled in Second Life specifically by your GPU, really powers the wow factor in the Tunnel of Light. It's a fun ride regardless, but having Glow turns this digital landscape into a neon nirvana. So be sure you've enabled Shaders to really get the most out of the experience.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

----
Here is a Torley Tutorial on Graphic Settings:

Photography in Second Life with Depth of Field. Tutorial by Torley

[PHOTOGRAPHY] Second Life snapshots with depth of field

Posted by Torley Linden on the Linden Lab/Second Life Community Blog

"Do you enjoy taking Second Life snapshots? Wellll I've gotta treat for you!..."

READ THE ARTICLE and CHECK OUT THE TUTORIAL VIDEO HERE

Brought to my attention by Pier of Koinup. Thanks Pier! And of course, Thanks Torley!

The KOINUP Blog: http://blog.koinup.com/
( http://www.blogger.com/www.koinup.com is a great site to post and share photography and machinima in a social network web 2.0 setting. I encourage all virtual world residents to join and participate over at Koinup.)

Info about the Koinup Depth of Field Photography group:
http://blog.koinup.com/2009/03/how-to-blur-background-of-your-photos.html