Comments on: Google v. Second Life? No Contest

By: JG

JG — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 20:52:32 +0000

The two will live quite nicely one next to the other, and most folks who use one will probably not see using the other as even vaguely competitive.

You mean like the same way Google Checkout doesn’t compete with Paypal?

But seriously, can someone offer a compelling use case, here? What would I spend my time doing on “Google Second Earth”? World of Warcraft, that I understand. You have a goal/purpose when you log on. Second Life I also understand; it’s all about socializing and creating a cool alternate landscape. But Google Second Earth? Do you really think its primary function will be yellow pages + ads? So that if I am looking for some place local to purchase lawn furniture I can fly around virtually between my four choices.. and get hit in the face with adwords while doing so?

I guess I just don’t get it, don’t see the vision yet.

By: Vegas Thornton

Vegas Thornton — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 20:26:17 +0000

The things about “second comain” is a little to fanatical for me. Like most of the non-valley ubbergeek during “Web 2.0″ i’d ask what are you calling the “second coming”?

By: tpiddy

tpiddy — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 18:43:58 +0000

is 2007 the year of the metaverse? would myspace actually be positioned to launch a second life competitor?

have you seen Sean Fanning's (of Napster fame) rupture.com?

By: Alex

Alex — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 16:33:48 +0000

I wonder if someone tells me a thousand times that something's important, will it actually be important? I don't think so.

I'm not a fan of TechCrunch since it seems to print a bunch stuff I could care less about, but hey, I guess anything for a buck, right? That's usually what shills are.

I do like Techdirt.com though. It had a January 24th article, "Second Life: Money Checks In, But It Doesn't Check Out", which pretty much says it all.

By: Dr. Pete

Dr. Pete — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 15:14:45 +0000

What’s honestly more intriguing to me about Second Life is the instances where it crosses into reality. I see more and more e-learning, virtual conferences, meetups, etc. happening in Second Life, and some of them are pretty impressive (complete with conference organizers, T-shirts, banners, PowerPoint slides, and virtual Teamsters). For as long as we’ve talked about the possibility, it seems like people are finally latching onto the idea of using virtual worlds as business tools, and I think we’ll see some big players get into that arena soon.

By: Tom Nocera

Tom Nocera — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 13:21:02 +0000

What could make the concept even better for Google more appealing to wider audience - assuming you are correct in your (highly educated) guess - would be to allow users to zoom backwards in time to places where pivotal events have taken place, and be presented the choice to explore an alternate reality from that point in time and place...the chance to play forward into a virtual future. (Brings out the escapist in me.)

By the way, thanks for opening up a little on Davos. Maybe on the long ride home you will share a bit more with those of us who are currently not on the elitist's "A" list of trusted message disseminators.

Money buys power, and power corrupts. Imposing "off the record" limitations is the surpression of information. Information is power, supression corrupts. The role of a free press is to shine a little light on what those in power would prefer to keep in the shadows. Come on, John, shine your light.