Next weekend, about this time, the Masquerade would be in full swing at the Second Life Community Convention in Chicago. So far there would have been two amazing days of music from live musicians, DJ’s, great panels from everything on the education, social, business and machinima aspects of Second Life, and more than likely plenty of hookups! Earlier this year I mentioned that Virtualive.tv, another project I help organize, feels a lot like a virtual Woodstock, the combination of music and today’s technology rolled into one unifying event. The Second Life Community Convention feels a lot like the next E3, and as much as I hate that comparison I feel that it fits.
Virtual Worlds, Second Life in particular, is changing the social landscape in the same way that e-mail and instant messaging has. While there is a lot of press about Second Life (both good and bad), it is the same sort of press that the Internet, as a whole receives. Whether Second Life is Web 3.0, or the next evolution of the Internet or the new Matrix is yet to be seen. Most importantly, it is a very evolutionary step in today’s technology. The difference about this step is that rather being ran by huge corporations, Second Life is built on the backbone of individuals, not that of corporate mega-dollars (actually one can make the argument that large corporations entering into Second Life actually help community members more than Linden Lab.) Like the Net, Second Life makes anything possible without asking for permission, it brings like minds, people, and develops communities, micro-communities, and groups together in a way unlike before. For the first time, major corporations are sitting in the same room with techs who are sitting in the same room with people who have learned professional graphic, coding, and development skills on their own. There is not one place where the playing field is very level and that people join together to work (or not) in a very passionate, meaningful way.
The Second Life Community Convention is about putting all of these people in one room and enjoying time together in a real space, much of the same way that it is done in a virtual space. Every year I come from this convention in awe and excitement at what has been achieved, and for the past two years have been blessed to be a part of a great team of individuals who put blood, effort, and so much energy into making this exciting. It is going to be a fun, exciting time, and I intend to enjoy every single moment of it.
Now with that said, let me a final pitch! There is still time to register for the convention or participate in the virtual side of it in Second Life, visit http://slcc2007.wordpress.com. If you come to the convention in Chicago, don’t be a stranger, say hi, hell even ask for a hug and lets share a drink together!
