Clay Shirky is right on the button when he compares Second Life to Pointcast. About ten years ago I hopped on the Pointcast bandwagon and by the time I hopped off I was spoiled for syndication in general. I suspect that my experience last year with Second Life won’t turn me off entirely to the virtual gathering potential of the model, but it’s as likely that it will NOT be a proprietary approach that sucks me into repeated usage. Second Life reminds Shirky of the MUDs of decades past. It reminds me of AOL and Prodigy, a place where net users can be captured and farmed.
The difference between WoW and Second Life seems to be that WoW is just a great way to massage your OCD, whereas Second Life is more subtly rationalized and far less addictive.
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
Next week we have a primary election. Three people are running for the State Supreme Court seat that will be filled in the April general election. Only two will appear on that ballot. Unfortunately two out of the three people who are running are lamers of the highest order. This guarantees that in April there will be at least one skunk-weasel on the ballot. If you can get here to cast a vote, you should cast it for Linda Clifford. If enough people do, then there will only be one skunk-weasel on the ballot in April. 
