New World Survey: Which Second Life Program Deserves To Win the Linden Prize for Impacting the Real World?

Update, 5/31: Bumped up -- please vote before the June 1st Linden Prize announcement!

The Lindens recently announced the ten finalists for their Linden Prize, which awards USD$10,000 to the Second Life project which "improves the way people work, learn, and communicate in their daily lives outside of the virtual world." The winner will be announced on June 1st, and assuming the Lindens take public opinion into account with their decision, here's a chance to advocate for your favorite:

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Keep in mind the real world impact criteria when you look at the descriptions and vote here. Looking at the nominees, I'm not clear how most of them qualify, in the sense that they largely require someone to log into Second Life, to get the full benefit of the program. (Compare to last year's winner Studio Wikitecture, which uses Second Life to design real buildings, which thousands can use without even knowing about SL.) In any case, NWN reader's choice announced shortly after the official winner is selected!

Comments

[Ann Otoole]

All the stories have not been published yet so insufficient info available but the odds are high the chickens will win just to piss more people off enough to quit and make the move to inworldz grid. It appears that is what Kingdon's goal is--drive off the existing populace of creatives so LL can become the only content seller selling the works of a few people that agreed to be coopted and work for low returns.

Whatever. Good luck to them all.

[rikomatic]

Hamlet, I believe the prize requires that the entrants project "improves the way people work, learn and communicate in their daily lives outside of the virtual world." So in this sense, any project that effects the virtual participants in some way that enables them to have a positive impact on the real world qualifies.

I.e. last year's winner Virtual Ability primarily impacts the people with disabilities who can log into SL. But the way that VA supports and facilitates these disabled folks to be more emotionally healthy, happy and facile in the real world is the powerful bit.

All of these (ok, chickens is a stretch), have similar network effects beyond SL, if they inspire people to good work, or connect with each other better, or be better citizens as a result.

That's my understanding of how the criteria is applied.

[Metacam Oh]

I bought some chickens a while back to check them out during the chicken craze, and sure they are cool but they got boring and in reality is a giant pyramid scheme just like Linden Lab themselves. Linden Prize for chickens? They already have my money and I have nothing to show for it what kind of prize do they deserve?

[Hamlet Au]

"network effects beyond SL, if they inspire people to good work, or connect with each other better, or be better citizens as a result"

Rik, these are totally worthwhile goals and I agree, but because Second Life is still relatively niche, the immediate network effect is going to be small. Most of these nominations (maybe even all of them) look like they're going to benefit a few hundred people at best in that way -- most of whom need to get into SL to gain that benefit. Not taking anything away from that, it's awesome. But to really get a big network effect going, I think the project needs to directly effect thousands, or better yet, millions.

[Acai Max]

I.e. last year's winner Virtual Ability primarily impacts the people with disabilities who can log into SL. But the way that VA supports and facilitates these disabled folks to be more emotionally healthy, happy and facile in the real world is the powerful bit. Linden Prize for chickens? They already have my money and I have nothing to show for it what kind of prize do they deserve?It appears that is what Kingdon's goal is--drive off the existing populace of creatives so LL can become the only content seller selling the works of a few people that agreed to be coopted and work for low returns.

[Pappy Enoch]

Acai done gone and said about them Sion Chikkins:

"They already have my money and I have nothing to show for it what kind of prize do they deserve?"

Acai, maybe ol' Doc Zaius of Sion Chikkin, Inc., don't deserve nuffin. But you already done won a prize!

Pappy's "One Born Every Minute Award" or the "Barnum Prize" for short. You gots a bronzed sucker on the way to you rite now.

I'd give a prize to Doc Zaius, just because I loves stealin' chikkins (an' them am tasty). Them-there pullets am the best dang thing ever to happen in the fake world o' Second Life.