Kim Roach from SitePoint.com, just sent me a newsletter extolling the virtues of the Second Life online community/alternate reality.  You create an account, get an avatar (or as Morpheus from The Matrix would say: "Your appearance now is what we call the digital self image. It is the mental projection of your digital self."), and then you wander around this graphical world doing everything you'd do in real life like food shopping, going to the bank, and dropping your kid off at day care.  Second Life has its own currency and own economy, and according to Roach, Businesses should be flocking to set up virtual shop so they can hopefully do some business both online and offline.   

While their certainly is a buzz out there (or as she repeatedly calls it "a viral buzz") about Second Life and other so-called "MMOG"'s (Massive Multiplayer Online Games), I think jumping on this particular bandwagon may be a bit premature. 

First, there is the possibility of Virtual Crimes, and those who get their virtual property stolen have the nerve to contact the "real" police?  Wouldn't that be a task more suited to the virtual police within Second Life?  After all, this is all a game right?  One major problem is the ability to copy objects, which clearly would threaten the virtual and possibly real livelihoods of those who have spent real money to set up their virtual shop.

Rumor also has it the IRS is watching with a Keen Eye as to whether and how they can go about charging taxes for what goes on in Second Life.. Yes, really.

Second, there is a big problem that living this Second Life may come at the expense of living the First Life (aka your "real" life).  A new clinic in the Netherlands, has even supposedly opened up to help those who have become addicted to online gaming.  Online gaming addiction is very real and very serious.  Simply search Google for "Online Gaming Addiction" and you'll find stories like this one from News.com.  Of course you could argue that just because I manufacture a TV doesn't mean you have to watch it all day. 

If the eyeballs are in Second Life, then there is something to be said for being where the eyeballs are.  Second Life can now apparently boast one milion gaming addicts, er, I mean users.  So perhaps walking down the virtual street and seeing the virtual billboard for McDonalds, will make you hungry in real life for some McNuggets. 

Am I the only one who finds this whole thing inherently creepy and Lawnmower Man-esque?  Assuming I'm not worried about virtual theft and I can play in moderation, do I really want the virtual telemarketer calling me up while I'm having my virtual dinner?  I don't know about the rest of you, but when I'm hanging upside down from some pipes in Splinter Cell, about to snap the bad guys neck when he walks by, I don't want to see an ad on the wall for some Mcdonalds nuggets.  In fact, I'd pay extra to buy a game or play a game where there were no paid advertisements in it.  

I've never heard of Erik Hauser  before today, but he encourages you to ask the question: "Am I simply spending $4 million to follow the herd and be where everyone tells me I should be?"  Personally speaking, if I want some viral buzz, I'll go drink some Tequila.