Jack Linden has made a heads-up post about new policies to be implemented concerning zoning and advertising on the Mainland sims in Second Life. There is no word yet on when these policies will be enforced, just a brief message intended to reduce panic and confusion when further announcements are made in the future. Unfortunately, the post itself brings with it much confusion, … [Read more...] about Linden Lab zones out.
Getting help in virtual worlds.
Dear askers of questions, We'd love to help you out! For the most part, we enjoy answering your questions, and we don't ask for much for ourselves, just the typical rewards you get from helping out and teaching other people: fun, learning, and a sense of responsibility and satisfaction. However, we do also require that you show a certain amount of consideration towards us, … [Read more...] about Getting help in virtual worlds.
Second Life immaturity – bell curve bungling.
Second Life is going through a troubling phase. It has entered young adulthood, but is still acting like a teenager - occasionally like a teething two-year-old in a tantrum. Unfortunately, Linden Lab has a very different view about where the Second Life product stands with regards to its consumers: they believe that they are providing a frontier product to the disorganized … [Read more...] about Second Life immaturity – bell curve bungling.
What looks like addiction, but is not – Virtual Addiction, Part 3
I spend hours with my computer. It is my favorite tool. I spend time in and out of virtual worlds; I spend time on and off the Internet, surfing with my browser. I communicate, I work, I play. From the sheer amount of time spent with my machine during the day, according to some measures, it would be correct to say that I am addicted to the behaviour of using my computer. I do … [Read more...] about What looks like addiction, but is not – Virtual Addiction, Part 3
On Being a Virtual World Whore – Virtual Addiction, Part 2
There's been a great deal of debate of whether "Internet Addiction" and its close cousin, "Virtual World Addiction", should be classified as disorders separate from other behavioral addictions. Psychiatrist Ivan Goldberg reputedly borrowed the criteria for substance use and impulse-control disorders from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition … [Read more...] about On Being a Virtual World Whore – Virtual Addiction, Part 2