Why isn't Microsoft trying to "LL"?

Maybe the big players like Microsoft, Google etc. are watching to see whether it's better to develop virtual environments from scratch or to try and purchase an exiisting one. With the recent growth in the clones developed from SL's open source codes, maybe a big name might buy one of those or develop their own worlds based on OpenSim.

Have these virtual worlds actually made any money? There, ActiveWorlds, etc. If it's a niche hobby, why would MS or any other company get into it? There must be a broader appeal or broader applicability that provides an opportunity to make real money, IMO, before anyone beyond venture capitalists would look at throwing any more cash into it.

I think both Google and M$ are very capable of making their own version of SL--and you can bet they (and many others) are watching the progress of SL, and taking notes.

The question isn't whether a competitor is going to best SL...it's when. And if you notice, there already are other similar 'metaverses' looking to jump on the band-wagon, however, none of them compare to the freedom and breadth of SL...so we can't actually consider them competitors.

If I had to choose a company that is going to truly compete first, I'd say Google.

Who would I WANT to see create a similar product? Valve. The source engine is beautiful, highly customizable, easily optimized, and has a great level designer and model importer already in place. I know I know...pipe dreams, it will never happen. I can still fantasize.

I think just the act of creating a massive metaverse like SL is highly advantageous to a company. Did anyone know of LL before SL? Now, how many people know about LL today? Just knowing that millions of people are using a product made by XYZ is great press and advertising.

If SL is viewed as being successful, MS will first try to copy it and then give up and try to buy it.

I'm obviously not in the target audience, I assume, but I still don't know what Linden Lab is all about. Do they have any other products?

We're talking about a product that has a 10-15% retention rate. It's not pervasive like IM or web browsing. Its appeal right now is limited even among those who have tried it.

If this is going to lead to the greater 'metaverse', then LL needs to make sure that SL is the first place where people start. And to do that and remain viable, they need to add features to premium accounts that enhance the whole 'metaverse' experience.

The ability to transfer items from SL to outside SIMS would be a good start. A fourth perm that locks or allows the transfer of a creations would make it desirable for content creators to choose SL now as their main base for creating content and the 'metaverse' stores that market them.

SL should also integrate an SLexchange or Onrez type of website, that would facilitate the transfer (for a small fee) of items to any online world.

There are many other ways that SL, being the current leader, can make sure they stay the leader.

There have been VRs before SL and there will be new VRs.
In size, concept and (st)ability this is pioneerring.

Other companies are busy with other stuff they think they can do.

Microsoft actually "missed" the internet, meaning they just ddint see its developement, kinda ignored that it exists and didn't have any browser for a long time and lacked software that could actually "ping something over long distance".
And they still do not have a decent browser.

Robotics is a very niche hobby, especially in America, but MS threw a lot of effort into making a robotic operating system and simulation software. They will put resources into making a product for a niche market. In the robotics case, there was no real competition for the product they came up with. For a similar amount of effort, they could put together something that would compete with SL. I think it makes more sense for them to watch for another year or two. They don't want to make something to compete with an existing product, they want to wait until they can make something that will dominate.

The big boys are interested in the concepts of SL. (Just check the main themes of the GDC which is happening right now.) User created content, participation etc. is still high on the agenda.

They're just more interested in how to monetize this and extend their current portfolio of games to incorporate these aspects.
Where LL tries the top down approach. (Build one big generic social platform and diversify), the big boys will take the bottom up approach: Take themed individual environments (casual games, mmorpgs, online shooters etc.) and extend these with social tools and user generated elements.

Eventually both parties will create generic open APIs (think google's opensocial), to interconnect these closed environments. But this will take quite some time to happen yet.

Mr Gates is lettin Herr Philip and the LL Gang do all the work, once SL starts to really gain stability and have a serious customer base, he will snake it.

Google are behind the "SLURL.com" service. They're definitely keeping an eye open.

YES! LOVE Their Stuff!!

My 2nd choice would be Crytek. But since EA has them now, I'm not too happy.

I suppose I'd rather have Microsoft running SL than EA though. EA used to be good.... now they just produce mind-numbing sequels till the series craps out (Battlefield 2142?)

SL was the product designed to test and demonstrate their networking idea, If I remember right.

Linden Lab was a start up for this networking idea. Thus , no , there aren't other products.

i was in the early vanguard beta program when Microsoft was still the sponsor.
I beleive vanguard would have been a better game if they had done what Microsoft wanted them to. It was more appealing in beta 2 than it was final since they revamped so much of it.

Could Microsoft run SL? i think they'd have smarter APIs than Linden has thats for sure. Scripting language would be way more advanced. I could see breakpoints and everything working in a debugger. Would be great. Imagine Visual studio integration ? drool....

The updates would be slow though, there wouldn't be a new RC to try every week. We would have directx though which i beleive to be better and more in the now.

Linux and MAC support can be done without, especially linux. or they could go and make directx for MAC and linux but with the userbase its probably not worth it.

No they're not - LL re-wrote it to use Google technology, just like they use Google technology for the new search.

Mmmm...DirectX...no alpha fighting issues. Twould allow me to design more freely in certain aspects.

/me mutters to herself, hands together and head bowed... 'oh please... oh please.. oh please... make the fighting end..'

If LL would go ahead and support masked textures I think it would allow people to get around the texture fighting issues. Also it would turn peoples bloated texture fat builds into sleek texturing wonders.

Much as I love SL and enjoy what it provides, it's still pretty much a little backwater on the web which, for the most part, caters for a less than attractive demographic.

Sorry guys, but your 'average" SL'er has very little disposable income and to be brutally frank is at home on SL when the more appealing demographics are out earning.

Ok, so perhaps a stereotypical view but for the most part hard to prove wrong.

I also know that you gain a certain geeky credibility by knocking MS.. but I had to laugh when I read the comment saying that MS didn't "get" the internet.

Most of us are running MS windows, browsing the web using IE..and using hotmail accounts when we want a little anonymity.. how much more "getting" do you think MS needs to show?

Alright, I know three or four of you will pop up saying you actually run Lynix v17.324 and your browser was written by your Computer Science undergraduate cousin ... but at the end of the day that just proves you really are one of the commercially unattractive punters I'm talking about.

SL doesn't make enough money, isn't proving to be the big paradigm shift it once promised, and as such is pretty much, at best, a little gnat on MS's backside which is annoying but not worth the effort of swatting.

He he. thank you for a good chuckle on a nasty, snowy day. Although i do think you are over generalizing on the income aspect , I get what you are saying, and agree with it to an extent.

Happy Friday,

Hi Brenda,

If I brightened your day then my work here is done.

Have a nice weekend..

I use linux exclusively. That makes me commercially unattractive? So all the marketers, advertisers, purveyor's of unsolicited credit cards and mortgages have no interest in me and will leave me alone? Woot! Score another one for linux.

Yes and no.

SL and most other VR worlds are still niche players at present in the overall scheme of things but like most other things in life, there are exceptions.

http://www.vivendi.com/corp/en/home/index.php is one.

As we all know they own Blizzard's World of Warcraft a stunningly successful online world, now having more than 10 million paying clients and still growing.

If Blizzard introduced homesteading (with separate areas for adults and kids) and "officially" allowed Gold to be sold and purchased (in game currency) they might even triple that customer base.

Income and wealth data is harder to assess though, if an online world takes off I think that becomes a non issue, although I take your point about SL (in the main) at present


Any views folks?