Tech notes

Jan 11 2007 By Herb Kim, The Journal

Have you heard the one about the virtual comedian? It's not very funny, I'm afraid, but pretty interesting all the same.

Next month, stand-up comic Jimmy Carr will stage a gig in front of a virtual audience in the online realm of Second Life.

In doing so, Carr becomes the latest in a line of high-profile people, rock bands and organisations to get involved in Second Life, an online virtual world with a population of over 2.2 million - which is growing at the rate of around 38% each month.

First set up as "LindenWorld" in 2002 by technology firm Linden Lab, Second Life is a flat, earth-like environment that enables users (or "residents" as they're called) to explore, meet and talk to others, and participate in individual and group activities.

They can even buy virtual goods, services, property and land using the world's currency, known as the Linden Dollars, which are exchangeable for US dollars in a specially set-up market place.

Last year, Second Life's population figures rocketed as more and more people heard about it, signed up to this brave new world to see what all the fuss was about, and got hooked.

Then, attracted by the knowledge that most residents were between their key demographic of 18 to 35-year-olds (split 50-50 between sexes), big businesses started to get involved. Nike and Reebok sell virtual training shoes, for example, and Nissan and Toyota sell virtual cars.

It's obvious from both the soaring population and the substantial interest already shown by such companies that this virtual world is more than just hype, as some doubters have suggested. It has something, clearly. But a key question remains: "What is the meaning of (Second) Life?" Is it just a computer game? Or does it have some use beyond that?

Some commentators suggest it could be used as a single point of contact for all your online activities. A virtual home where you and other residents can see your photos on the wall, read your blog, watch your favourite video clips.

It's an interesting point, but I believe it would be more useful as a testing ground for new technologies, products, ideas and innovations. For businesses operating in the online world, it's the perfect environment in which to test out new products on a tech-savvy audience and get instant feedback.

And some companies, such as IBM, are already doing this to an extent by testing out various "proof of concepts," including a replication of the Wimbledon tennis tournament.

At the end of the day, of course, Second Life is a game, and a terrifically enjoyable one if its rising "population" is anything to go by. But importantly, perhaps most importantly, it's also a playground. A virtual playground.

* Herb Kim is CEO of Codeworks, the North East's centre of digital excellence.