For business uses, Second Life is a fad and a crock

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Better to try than to stand by

The Los Angeles Times' article chose to look at only one side of the story (despite the fact that the reporter talked to some of us who told it differently).

We built Dell's presence in Second Life with the intention of connecting with a fast-growing community and learning about the metaverse that is taking shape. And for that purpose, SL is suiting us just fine. But, there is the opportunity for even more.

When Global Market Insite, Inc. did a survey of SL residents in April 2007, 37% said ?yes, definitely? and 41% said ?maybe? they would be more likely to purchase/use a brand in real life that is represented in Second Life. And Gartner predicts that by the end of 2011, 80% of active Internet users will have a 3D presence or avatar. So while businesses may not have fully grasped how to put SL to business use, there is a lot of good reason to continue trying.

What your suggested flash animations miss is the feeling of presence you get when you're in the same virtual space with a variety of people from around the globe. They don't give you the ability to turn to the person next to you and discuss a potential purchase while picking up the object of discussion and spinning it around for the full three-dimensional view. That is the opportunity that is out there with virtual worlds. Those of us who are leading RL brands into the space are all still experimenting and learning. But, I'd rather be out there trying and making mistakes than sitting on the sidelines while a new way of interacting with our customers moves forward without us.

Posted by: Laura Thomas/Pyrrha Dell   Posted on: 07/16/07 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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