You could argue that Philip Rosedale has done more than anyone else to help millions of people live their dreams. As the founder and CEO of Linden Lab, the San Francisco-based company that created Second Life (which we’ve blogged about now and again),
he has taken virtual reality to a whole new place.
A technology whiz since childhood (he built his first computer in the fourth grade), Rosedale started a computer software company in high school and eventually developed FreeVue, a video conferencing system for PCs. After his startup was acquired by RealNetworks, he became the larger company’s vice president and CTO. In 1999 he left to start compiling research for Linden Lab, and in 2003, Second Life was born.
Now, with 11.2 million registered users (about 1 million of whom have logged in during the past month) and with nearly 4 billion “Linden Dollars” a year being spent on property, goods, and services (of all kinds), Second Life has become the most prominent truly interactive virtual world in history. (It is so prominent, in fact, that IBM makes fun of it in a recent commercial.)
Rosedale has kindly agreed to answer questions from readers of this blog, so fire away.
Addendum: You can find the answers to these questions here.
and 
. You can also watch it on 
Do you have macroeconomists regulating the supply of Linden dollars? Are they Keynesians? Monetarists? Does the economy experience inflation?
Do you have macroeconomists regulating the supply of Linden dollars? Are they Keynesians? Monetarists? Does the economy experience inflation?
What security measures do you take to prevent fraud and abuse? Do you have a dedicated security team?
What security measures do you take to prevent fraud and abuse? Do you have a dedicated security team?
Linden Lab has talked before about the long-future possibilities (and challenges) of connecting to or communicating with other grids and virtual worlds.
Do you feel that this is an actual possibility rather than just a pretty dream? What impact do you think this would have on Second Life’s economy?
Linden Lab has talked before about the long-future possibilities (and challenges) of connecting to or communicating with other grids and virtual worlds.
Do you feel that this is an actual possibility rather than just a pretty dream? What impact do you think this would have on Second Life’s economy?
A dutch teenager was recently arrested for virtual theft in a hotel virtual environment. Has there been any similar type of virtual crime in Second Life that may have/had real-life implications for the perpetrators?
Thanks!
A dutch teenager was recently arrested for virtual theft in a hotel virtual environment. Has there been any similar type of virtual crime in Second Life that may have/had real-life implications for the perpetrators?
Thanks!