What is Second Life

secondlife.com

Second Life is a 3D virtual world launched by Linden Lab in 2003. It is not a game. There are no levels, no quests, no win conditions. It is a persistent, user-created online environment where residents build, socialise, create, trade, perform, and exhibit. Everything you see in Second Life, from the buildings to the clothes to the landscapes, was made by its residents.

Residents create an avatar and move through a world made up of interconnected regions (called “sims”). Communication happens through text chat, voice chat, and gestures. The economy runs on Linden Dollars (L$), which can be exchanged for real currency. Some residents earn a living entirely within the platform through content creation, land management, event hosting, and creative services.

Second Life has been used for education, therapy, live performance, architecture, protest, community organising, and art. It has hosted university courses, live music events, political rallies, memorial services, and thousands of exhibitions. The SLRandom ArtCrew operates entirely within Second Life, building galleries, curating exhibitions, and running events across our own regions.

The platform is often written off as a relic of the mid-2000s internet. That is lazy and wrong. Second Life’s active community continues to build, exhibit, perform, and create at a level that most newer platforms have not matched. The content is resident-made, the economy is real, and the creative depth is extraordinary if you know where to look. The difference between Second Life and most social platforms is that Second Life asks you to make something, not just scroll past it.

Second Life runs on Windows and Mac. It is free to join and use, with optional premium memberships for those who want to own land. New residents can explore, attend events, and visit exhibitions immediately. If you are visiting the SLRandom ArtCrew for the first time, start at the region page for teleport details.

Sources and further reading

Second Life Official Site
https://secondlife.com/

Linden Lab Official Site
https://lindenlab.com/

Second Life Destination Guide
https://secondlife.com/destinations

Second Life Newcomer Friendly Spots
https://www.secondlife.com/destinations/creator/newbie

Second Life Welcome Hub Social Plaza
https://secondlife.com/destination/welcome-hub

Second Life Official Viewer Download
https://secondlife.com/support/downloads/

Second Life Pricing
https://secondlife.com/corporate/pricing

Second Life Mainland Pricing and Fees
https://secondlife.com/land/pricing

Second Life Terms and Conditions
https://lindenlab.com/legal/second-life-terms-and-conditions

Buying and Selling Linden Dollars, Linden Lab Freshdesk
https://lindenlab.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/31000138105-buying-selling-linden-dollars

Process Credit Withdrawal Requests, Linden Lab Freshdesk
https://lindenlab.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/31000135224-process-credit-withdrawal-requests

Second Life Marketplace
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/

Second Life Community, Education
https://secondlife.com/community/education

Second Life Wiki, Second Life Education Resources
https://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Second_Life_Education/Resources

Second Life Community, Arts
https://secondlife.com/community/arts

Second Life Destination Guide, Arts
https://secondlife.com/destinations/arts

Second Life Destination Guide, Music
https://secondlife.com/destinations/music

Second Life Destination Guide, Spirituality and Belief
https://secondlife.com/destinations/spirituality

Second Life Destination Guide, Memorials
https://secondlife.com/destinations/memorial

Second Life Community, LGBTQ+
https://secondlife.com/community/lgbtq

Second Life Community, Support
https://secondlife.com/community/support

Virtual Worlds Museum, Second Life
https://www.virtualworlds.museum/exhibits/second-life

Investopedia, Second Life Economy
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/second-life-economy.asp

Wired, Making a Living in Second Life
https://www.wired.com/2006/02/making-a-living-in-second-life/

The Guardian, What is Second Life?
https://www.theguardian.com/secondfest/story/0,,2100568,00.html

The Guardian, Second Life lessons
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2008/nov/11/highereducation-secondlife

Second Life Grid Survey
https://gridsurvey.com/

SLRandom ArtCrew
https://slrandomartcrew.com/