What connects Jesuits, estate agents, and Jihadis? Appparently, they're all using Second Life to plot their next moves. Or your next move, in the case of the estate agents.
First, His Holiness's Jesuitical Order, who have, it appears, come to minister to the lost flock in our virtual world:
"In Civilita Cattolica, a Rome-based publication approved by the Vatican Secretariat of State, Father Antonio Spadaro writes: 'The best way to understand this phenomenon is to live inside it, to recognise its dangers. Deep down, the digital world can be considered mission territory: behind an avatar (or online persona), there is a man perhaps searching for God and faith, perhaps with very strong spiritual needs.' Sagely, he adds: 'The erotic dimension is very present.'"
I hope those aren't his real eyes.
Meanwhile, if The Australian is to be believed, Jihadists are using SL to train for future maneuvers - and, while they're at it, destroying the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's in-world island with nuclear weapons! Yes, this "story", such as it is, kicks off with the debunked story of how "virtual terrorists" attacked ABC island, which even the company itself has insisted was, in fact, just the island crashing.
The article goes on to include quotes from an "al-qaeada expert" who claims Jihadists are "rehearsing their operations in Second Life" - presumably in between bombing ABC Island and fighting off the incoming Jesuits.
Article author Natalie O'Brien even manages to find a "security expert" who claimed that:
"...terrorists can gain training in games such as World of Warcraft in a simulated environment, using weapons that are identical to real-world armaments."
I fully expect to see Jihadists running through London armed with Swords of Zeal, looking for Onyxia soon.
The end of gambling continues to be a source on consternation, despair, and/or celebration depending on your perspective. Hot on the heels of the rumour that the grid's recent problems were caused by irate former casino owners comes a claim that the end of gambling means Second Life is "high risk, low return":
"The bottom line is that while Second Life might be an entertaining pastime, as a business platform it poses a number of significant risks, and so far has only been able to generate modest revenues for in-game businesses."
Of course, this conflates the idea of Second as a business platform with actually making lots of money in game. But we'll move swiftly on...
British company depo consulting certainly thinks there's money to be made - but then, as a full service developer for Second Life that's perhaps no surprise. The company claims it's seen an increase in traffic for its in-world business park, so it's now going to have someone in-world at the park from 10am-6pm GMT (2am-10am SLT), plus 4pm-6pm SLT.
Another SL business hopeful is VirtueCode, which aims to use Second Life to produce...
"...an alternate life for real-life property, by launching a new and unique set of services which integrate the latest online 3D technology, Second Life, with real estate related practices including planning, marketing and interior design."
I think that means they'll build houses and show real life people around them so they can get an idea of what their new house will look like. Sounds good, until you get to...
"The three-dimensional models then can be used online for real-time collaborative decision making together with the client, usually a present or future tenant or an investor, in the process of planning a new home, renovating, changing the interior design, implementing Feng Shui principles, or hunting for real estate."
Feng Shui? Does that even work in Second Life?
