An operating system (OS) is a computer program that manages the hardware and software resources of a computer. The definition has evolved over the years to become a platform for all kinds of computing activities. This is what Second Life, the virtual community claims to be in the future.
We all know that the claim of “New Kind of OS” is not going to be in the same form as the OS we use today. It is more about managing Internet users’ activities than controlling hardware resources. It is a platform for human interaction rather than for software collaboration. In other words, it is one level higher than what we currently see as operating system.
Second Life has been around for three and a half years. It has more than 3 million users who create avatars of themselves and move about the virtual world, chatting with others, buying land, building homes and businesses. Recently, Sweden announced to set up virtual embassy in Second Life to spread information about the Scandinavian country and attract more young visitors.
Are these enough to justify businesses to have a presence in Second Life?