How to get started in Second Life Dr. Anthony Curtis – University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Here's how to travel into the virtual world: The company that creates Second Life on the Internet is Linden Lab of San Francisco. Second Life resident Sable Sands To have the best experience with your computer, check out their computer requirements page to make sure your computer can run the Second Life viewer:   Computer system requirements » Next, sign up for a Second Life account:   Free account sign up » With it, you can do virtually everything people do in Second Life. You will be asked to select a last name for your avatar from a list provided by Linden Lab. Then you will make up your own first name. Be sure to choose first and last names you like and can be proud of because the name you choose now is the name you will have in-world. You can't change it later. Second Life Quick Start Guide [download Linden Lab PDF] Who doesn't love free? The basic membership is free. You don't have to give them a credit card number, unless you wish to. There is a premium membership for those who wish to own land. However, you will have to give Linden Lab some information so they can verify that you are beyond your 18th birthday if you wish to enter the adult main grid. They are very careful about keeping children and teens under 18 out of the adult SL. There is a Teen Second Life for people 13 through 17. Getting your personal agent Now pick your avatar. There are six male and six female figures for you to choose from. Like most everybody else, you undoubtedly will change yours later after you become comfortable in-world. Everyboy does. Second Life resident Trustin Tomorrow Open your personal portal to the virtual world Next, download and install the Second Life viewer:   Download the free viewer » Run the viewer to start exploring the Second Life world. Walking, flying and teleporting are fun When you log in to Second Life for the first time, you will land on Orientation Island. It is designed to guide new residents – called newbies – through Second Life's controls and features. If you spend time on Orientation Island learning how to navigate and use Second Life, you'll have a much more rewarding experience later. There's also a Help Island. If you would like to return at any time after you leave Orientation Island, you may. In that event, you would visit the Public Orientation Island or the Public Help Island. Those Islands are identical to the closed Orientation Island and Help Island you saw during your first login. However. they're open to the public. If you get lost or confused while navigating around Second Life, ask someone for help. Experienced residents are happy to help new arrivals. After all, everybody needed help at one time or another. Where should you be in the virtual world? Here's something to think over: Second Life: PG vs. Mature » Getting-started links:        Free account sign up »        Computer system requirements »        Download the free viewer »        Membership Plans »        SL Showcase »