Watch, Discuss: Strawberry Linden Interviews Philip Rosedale! UPDATE: Added Questions Covered In Her Chat

Update, August 7: Bumped up for viewing and discussion. Post title changed accordingly!

Update 2 , August 7: Courtesy Strawberry, here's the main questions she asked Philip:

• Do you still log in to Second Life? If so, what communities and experiences do you enjoy exploring?
• Are you surprised that Second Life is still around 20 years after founding Linden Lab?
• Your avatar look has become very well known and perhaps even iconic - can you tell us a bit about what inspired you to create your unique look in Second Life?
• Let’s go back to the beginning of Linden Lab and Second Life: Can you share some stories about the origins of Second Life?
• Tell us what inspired you to create Linden Lab and eventually Second Life? There are rumors that you originally were focusing on virtual reality with a prototype hardware device called “The Rig” - is that true? If so, what happened to “The Rig”?
• What were the early days like at Linden Lab? Some in the community may not be familiar with this, but you led some corporate innovations that helped to shape and inform the culture at Linden Lab - such as the Love Machine. You also published the Tao of Linden. Can you speak a bit about both of those.
• If you could do one thing differently when creating Second Life, what would it be and why?
• As you know, Linden Lab recently announced that an agreement was signed for it to be acquired by an investment group led by Randy Waterfield and Brad Oberwager. While I know that you aren’t in a position to say anything specific about the terms of the deal, I wonder if you can share any thoughts about what you think it means for the future of Second Life as I know that you have known Brad personally and professionally for many years.
• Your career spans much more than just Second Life, of course. Prior to Linden Lab, you were a key executive at RealNetworks - a pioneer in audio and video streaming. Can you tell us a bit about your work there and how that might have helped to influence your decision to form Linden Lab?
• About a decade or so ago, you left Linden Lab to explore other entrepreneurial efforts - can you tell us why you chose to move on at that time?
• You are now involved with High Fidelity - can you share a bit about what High Fidelity is and how we can check it out?
• What’s next for High Fidelity?
• Do you have any other entrepreneurial endeavors that you want to share?
• The concept of a social virtual world was so ahead of its time -- and it feels like the pandemic has caused new respect and recognition for the value and utility of shared virtual world and VR platforms. That must be so affirming! Has the pandemic caused you to have any shift in your vision for the future of virtual social networks?

Previously posted here before the video went live:

Strawberry Linden (aka social media doyenne Strawberry Singh) has a great get tomorrow: A live YouTube interview with Second Life/High Fidelity founder Philip Rosedale. Go here to set a reminder to watch.

Meantime, question for readers: What questions should she ask Philip? Post your suggestions in Comments. No promises, but Strawberry tells me she may ask him one or two of them if there's time. I'll go first:

Now that High Fidelity is showing success as an audio-based virtual world, do you think this could be a better, more mass market approach to virtual worlds, rather than the traditional 3D graphics-based one?

But what would you ask?

Comments

[Stevie Davros]

When are they gonna throw more resources at finishing EEP and sorting out all the many many bugs?

[sirhc desantis]

Basically, what does he have up his sleeve for the next project?

Pattern seems to be after SL -> drifted away to do C and P etc -> back to SL as CEO (interim) -> drifted away to do HiFi -> back to SL in some form for a bit? -> Next Big Thing?

Always interesting to watch

[Alicia]

Is it me, or were there only soft toss questions being thrown at Phillip?

[Jumpman Lane]

@Alicia yeah, I'd say the questions seemed kind of soft tossed lol (and the "secret crush" crap was cringy) but his answers were more than a little interesting, particularly his take on the resurgence of virtual worlds in general, and Second Life in particular. Worth the watch.

[sirhc desantis]

Wee Willy Jumpy who? Fascinating as its attempting to be kang again.
As for Rosedale well. Will wait.
A disappoint basically where is the fun

[Pappy Enoch]

Old Jumpy ain't dead.

Neither are I. Old SL may be ailin' but the dawg can still run. Old Phil he gots some high-class looks goin, still. Hoo whee.