Challenge #4 - Not-A-MeMe - SL Circa 2009

I would like to post the Not-A-MeMe challenge #4 blog. I have always wanted to use the phrase prolific prognosticator and pugnacious pundit so here goes. Dixie Starr, Second Life's most prolific prognosticator and pugnacious pundit poses the puzzler, "What will be Second Lifes biggest positive change and biggest negative change in two years (circa 2009)?"

My response:

Biggest Positive Change Prediction is that Second Life will have benefited from the overall Web 2.0 explosion because of their decision to open source the Client and Server. Second Life will have the ability to mash up with other web applications and technologies such as deep linking, friend networks for shared content, AJAX and other "function sharing", Google Services such as calendar, embedded SL Search, docs and spreadsheets. If you can get at it through the internet you will be able to integrate it within Second Life. The creative resident will have many more tools at their bidding to create a true metaverse.

Biggest Negative Change or Disappointment: I believe the Second Life has already started heading down the Gartner Technology Adoption Curve like the now well known article "Gartner says Second Life hype near peak" trumpeted earlier this year. And yes in 2009, the Linden's are no longer independent, they are owned by Google. This provides part of the big positive earlier stated, but, alas, "big brother" will make Second Life no longer the hobby playground it is for so many of us now. Google will attempt to pull back in the creativity that was released with the open source outlet that the Linden's relented to in 2007.

Bottom Line: I believe more positive than negative. Dixie Starr will still be in Second Life except she will be Dixie Starr Incorporated a wholely owned subsidiary of the Shelter Coroporation.