SecondLife: OSS MMOW company, now with a Linux port of its "viewer" software.

[Leo Mauler]

I have a creative friend who isn't that good at technology but is very good at art and project management, who has been approached by a local nonprofit to help manage their development of their presence on "Second Life", a Virtual 3D world "created by its residents".  

Second Life, online since 2003, is a Massively Multiplayer Online World, where you can set up a home, build a business, and buy real stuff (i.e., stuff which could be shipped to your physical address) using "Lindens", the unit of currency inside Second Life (currency exchanges for real U.S. Dollars to Lindens available in many locations inside Second Life).  There are online amusement parks, casinos, museums, and other attractions.

http://secondlife.com/

Anyway, while I was helping her figure out how to upgrade her computer to the recommended specifications for Second Life (minimum specs PIII-800Mhz with 512MB RAM; recommended P4-1.5Ghz and 1GB RAM for Windows XP, P4-2Ghz and 2GB RAM for Vista), I ran across their software download section, and they have developed a Linux version (beta) of their Second Life software (specs for Linux: PIII-800Mhz, 512MB RAM; recommended P4-1.5Ghz, 1GB RAM).  It was originally released in January 2007 so it has undergone considerable development since then.

What is even cooler is that their Second Life Viewer (the client-side software) is open sourced under the GPL.

http://secondlifegrid.net/programs/open_source

My ITEC DemoPC just happens to be a PIII-1Ghz with 512MB RAM and an e-Geforce FX 5200 series video card (compatible with Second Life; in fact back in 2003 they offered a $25 discount on this very card to Second Life members, http://secondlife.com/newsletter/2003_10_22_archive.php).

Makes me wonder if ITEC has wireless Internet on the Exhibitor floor...