How do you work this? The biggest problem SL faces as a communications technology is its not easy and accessible for everyone to use. Second Life is a difficult technology to decipher without have an "inside" source, e.g. an experienced Second Life user. I don't think I would have every been able to figure out how to create and modify my avatar without the assistance of my teacher. He has been involved with Second Life technology for a while and I never would have figured out how to teleport anywhere or talk to anyone without him! Most people don't have time to sit down and read pages and pages of instructions or tutorials. They want to just be able to easily communicate and navigate around. Second Life lacks this quality factor of a distinguished communication technology.
Second Life software, in simplest terms, needs to be "dumbed" down for even the most technologically challenged person to understand how it works. I believe when Second Life is easier to use, then more people will join to be able to explore and talk and hang out with friends that they rarely get to see. It is just too complicated right now and less people are joining, so the world looks empty. Second Life has loads of potential to be an excellent communications technology, but work still needs to be done to promote and search for new members and expand the world by making it business-friendly. Only then in my opinion, will Second Life be an awesome way for people and businesses to communicate. Once Second Life is simpler I believe more people will join.
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I stupidly deleted my first reply, but the post begins really well. SL faces an enormous hurdle when it comes to new users. Your own personal experience can guide your claim there.
ReplyDeleteIn time that may improve.
The post ends badly...without more research you don't have enough experience to make claims such as "Second Life is stagnant and will soon be pushed into oblivion of past virtual worlds" or "less people are joining."
What are the bases for these claims? As compared to when, exactly?
I'd have stuck to the initial and focused claim. If you had wanted to compare SL to Yoville, which is easier to join, you might have had a stronger point of comparison.
For a start on facts and figures, see Hamlet Au's post at:
http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2009/11/how-to-make-second-life-truly-mass-market-part-1-deep-integration-with-social-networks.html
And even these numbers get challenged!