I should also disclose that I do sell services and products in Second Life, though I like to believe my bias toward SL as a first user experience does not include that level of self-interest. You decide.
Because Second Life and OpenSim can use the same viewers this is easy to confuse. The short answer is start in Second Life on IBM or NCI for example and find a Helper/Mentor (such as someone from IBM Mentors group) or another friend to assist you.
Once you are fairly proficient in SL you will be better able to face the ‘alpha’ quirks of internal OpenSim-based grids (IBM Grid, Lotus Sametime 3d) and other very interesting external grids such as ReactionGrid.
Which one is which?
The longer explanation behind this recommendation starts by explaining how you may hear about each:
- Virtual Universe Community – most meetings are held on IBM’s Almaden island in Second Life
- Academy of Technology Conference – held in Second Life, a special behind the firewall setup (Nebraska)
- IBM Grid / Homesteading – refers to the collection of experimental OpenSim grids completely within IBM, exciting innovation happening there
- Lotus Sametime 3D – an applied use of OpenSim technology to integrate a SL/OS experience into Lotus Sametime, not connected to IBM Grid nor Second Life in any way
Ok, but why Second Life?
Working with the OpenSim team to bring people in introduced me, for the first time, to people who had never experienced any 3D world besides IBM’s OpenSim grid. Even if OpenSim ran perfectly, which anyone who has used it will tell you it does not, Second Life is still a better first time experience because of the breadth and depth of possible connections and interests the beginner is likely to make in Second Life v.s. any closed internal grid. Even the beginner with no interest in meeting anyone outside of IBM will likely meet more IBMers through SL than OpenSim (since that is where the 6000+ members of the VUC started out).
SL is the leading virtual world in the world right now and has been for some time. It behooves any virtual worlds newbie to know and understand it.










