News Report #5

Artists visit virtual Second Life for real-world cash
By: John D. Sutter
April 7, 2009
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/04/07/second.life.singer/index.html

With the use of Second Life artists are creating online avatars to share music, visual art, and fashion to a larger audience. These artists are expiring difficult times during our current economic condition. Second Life allows artists to create an online alter version of themselves called an avatar. These virtual avatars are able to communicate and interact just like in the real world, but with no limits. In exchange for their goods/talents, other users can exchange the virtual world currency, Linden Dollars which are converted to world currencies just like at a bank. For instance 260 Linden Dollars are equal to 1 dollar in US currency. Currently more than 1 million users have signed up to use Second Life since its creation in 1999. An example artist has created her avatar and plays from her Atlanta home in pubs and clubs within Second Life. She has created a solid following that listen to her music online daily, some even recognize her on the street. Some artists have been able to make a second income from Second Life of 10,000 a year. Much of the money in Second Life comes from tips at about 18 dollars per hours when logged in.

I find the use of the Second Life technology to be great. I believe it is doing exactly what it was designed to do. Second Life eliminates the walls of the world around us and allows you to explore the world and experience things you would not have been able to if not in a virtual world. The utilization of artist to increase their income in hard times is brilliant. By being able to expand their public that they are able to touch and share their talent with means more people they are impacting and opportunity to create a following of fans.

- TJ