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If you have a technical or support question, please try searching for your answer in the Knowledge Base.  The Answers section, where Second Life Residents help one another, may also have the information you are looking for. If you still can't find an answer to your question and have a billing issue click here to contact Billing Support.  For all other issues click here to contact Support.

If you have a technical or support question, please try searching for your answer in the Knowledge Base.  The Answers section, where Second Life Residents help one another, may also have the information you are looking for. If you still can't find an answer to your question and have a billing issue click here to contact Billing Support.  For all other issues click here to contact Support.

If you have a technical or support question, please try searching for your answer in the Knowledge Base.  The Answers section, where Second Life Residents help one another, may also have the information you are looking for. If you still can't find an answer to your question and have a billing issue click here to contact Billing Support.  For all other issues click here to contact Support.

If you have a technical or support question, please try searching for your answer in the Knowledge Base.  The Answers section, where Second Life Residents help one another, may also have the information you are looking for. If you still can't find an answer to your question and have a billing issue click here to contact Billing Support.  For all other issues click here to contact Support.

If you have a technical or support question, please try searching for your answer in the Knowledge Base.  The Answers section, where Second Life Residents help one another, may also have the information you are looking for. If you still can't find an answer to your question and have a billing issue click here to contact Billing Support.  For all other issues click here to contact Support.

If you have a technical or support question, please try searching for your answer in the Knowledge Base.  The Answers section, where Second Life Residents help one another, may also have the information you are looking for. If you still can't find an answer to your question and have a billing issue click here to contact Billing Support.  For all other issues click here to contact Support.

If you have a technical or support question, please try searching for your answer in the Knowledge Base.  The Answers section, where Second Life Residents help one another, may also have the information you are looking for. If you still can't find an answer to your question and have a billing issue click here to contact Billing Support.  For all other issues click here to contact Support.

If you have a technical or support question, please try searching for your answer in the Knowledge Base.  The Answers section, where Second Life Residents help one another, may also have the information you are looking for. If you still can't find an answer to your question and have a billing issue click here to contact Billing Support.  For all other issues click here to contact Support

If you have a technical or support question, please try searching for your answer in the Knowledge Base.  The Answers section, where Second Life Residents help one another, may also have the information you are looking for. If you still can't find an answer to your question and have a billing issue click here to contact Billing Support.  For all other issues click here to contact Support

If you have a technical or support question, please try searching for your answer in the Knowledge Base.  The Answers section, where Second Life Residents help one another, may also have the information you are looking for. If you still can't find an answer to your question and have a billing issue click here to contact Billing Support.  For all other issues click here to contact Support

If you have a technical or support question, please try searching for your answer in the Knowledge Base.  The Answers section, where Second Life Residents help one another, may also have the information you are looking for. If you still can't find an answer to your question and have a billing issue click here to contact Billing Support.  For all other issues click here to contact Support

If you have a technical or support question, please try searching for your answer in the Knowledge Base.  The Answers section, where Second Life Residents help one another, may also have the information you are looking for. If you still can't find an answer to your question and have a billing issue click here to contact Billing Support.  For all other issues click here to contact Support

If you have a technical or support question, please try searching for your answer in the Knowledge Base.  The Answers section, where Second Life Residents help one another, may also have the information you are looking for. If you still can't find an answer to your question and have a billing issue click here to contact Billing Support.  For all other issues click here to contact Support

If you have a technical or support question, please try searching for your answer in the Knowledge Base.  The Answers section, where Second Life Residents help one another, may also have the information you are looking for. If you still can't find an answer to your question and have a billing issue click here to contact Billing Support.  For all other issues click here to contact Support.

Check out the SL Flickr Pic of the Day, "Mysterious Waves," by Carl&Chris.

Please see the Second Life Grid Status page for more information. 

Please read more on the Second Life Grid Status page.

Second Life Saved My Sanity Second Life was the surprise rescue to a part of my soul I didn’t realize was so traumatic it was locked away for 30 years. Prior to May 1978, I was a dancer (nine years), a gymnast, (six years) and a springboard diver, (three years, through school. Though my activities were varied, in my heart, I am a dancer. Every piece of music I heard, I choreographed in my head. Until that May day, I would dance to it when I could. I felt the greatest joy and freedom when dancing. At some points, I'd even feel like I was flying. In high school, I could take my first formal training. It was heaven to me to dance. On May 12, 1978, we were hit head-on by a drunk driver doing over 45 mph. I was paralyzed for three days; my left arm for two months. I was now bedridden. I had to be fed, it was truly horrendous. I prayed to be able to play the piano again. Eventually, I could move and I was very grateful. But, over all this time and since those early days, my heart has longed to dance again. As life, strife and illness struck, even the most limited dancing movements became impossible. After the 1994 premature birth of my daughter, due to her disabilities, I became pretty much homebound. The world closed off to me. The 2000 gift of "the internet" opened the world back up to me, and I have enjoyed helping independent musicians worldwide at a large online site. But, with all the assistance and getting them exposure, I felt there MUST be some way to reach a wider audience for some of them. As I sought this, I found a link in a Wired article, and came to check out Second Life. As I struggled through the gray fog of learning to exist in this virtual splendorland, I sought out the dancing opportunities. As I collected more of the best dances, I began to put a few routines together. I soon realized that machinima would be the only way that everyone could see what I create regardless of lag, etc., I could have the audience see the moves as I intended them to match the music. During my hard work learning to do this, it dawned on me that I was happier, joyful, exuberant and couldn't wait to show my latest and then start my next. It was then, that I realized this piece of my soul had been imprisoned for nearly 30 years at that time, and suddenly Second Life had become the key which released it from prison. I'm eternally grateful, that even with the limitations, that Second Life exists. While yes, I cannot dance in Real Life any more, I can do so vicariously through my avatar and regain that inner joy once again. To share it with others who enjoy it is wonderful. Where life threw me lemons, Second Life enabled me to make lemon meringue pie. - Phoenixa Sol

Recommend them here.

The Monastery: A Dream Comes True My name is Arria Perreault. I am a citizen of the Confederation of Democratic Simulators, a democracy in the virtual world of Second Life. I am involved in the cultural life of the community, being curator of the Monastery — a place dedicated to spirituality, knowledge, and wisdom in Second Life. In 2006, I came to Second Life because I was interested in experimenting with the concept of virtual museums. As I have a degree in Archaeology, I joined the Confederation of Democratic Simulators (CDS) because it hosted the Roman city of Colonia Nova. There I opened my first exhibition in a tiny house, where I had only 54 prims. This proved very challenging. I thought about the need for another place to create better exhibitions. I could have built my own private place. As my house was in a democratic community, however, it seemed more interesting for me to create a place open to everyone. In 2007, the CDS planned to add a sim between Colonia Nova and Neufreistadt: Alpine Meadow. This new sim would be between a Roman colony and a Bavarian city of the Middle Ages. I imagined that a monastery could fit perfectly there between them. The project became to create a place named the Monastery. It would be non-denominational and dedicated to spirituality, wisdom and the transmission of knowledge. I organised a fundraiser to buy a parcel on the new sim. By this time I had experience building in SL, but my skill was limited for such a complex structure. I asked for help in the CDS forums, and several people responded to this positively. Beathan Vale offered his private land as a place to work on the Monastery building before the sim was available. There I created a surface that corresponded to the future parcel for the Monastery and a few walls. Tanoujin Milestone, Samantha Fuller, Jo Sapeur and Sleazy Writer joined this project. Sam and Tan worked together on the tower, while Sam made the stairs and Tan made a wonderful bell. Jo worked in the Library, while Sleazy created columns with scultptie prims for the courtyard. After this work was done we finally could move the building to its new sim. After this I cannot mention all who contributed to the Monastery’s further activities, because the list is too long. A few examples are: Popea Heron from the Roma SPQR community designed a great exhibition about food in ancient Rome. For the first Valentine’s exhibition, Alexicon Kurka made an amazing sculpture with the sound of a beating heart. For the exhibition «Second Mirror», Lilith Ivory took a series of snapshots with a mirror in SL and added reflections in it with photo editing software. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all who have contributed to the Monastery — even those I did not mention. Eventually it became clear the Monastery could be on its own sim in the CDS, and a plan was created for it to move to a new sim named Monastery in 2009. This new sim was designed by myself and Ulysse Alexander. Ever since then the Monastery has continually held exhibitions, and has featured such community events as Egg Painting contests in the spring and holidays Advent Calendars each winter. By working on the Monastery project I got a great amount of experience in the management of a virtual museum. When I view the success of its activities, I believe the Monastery is also a contribution for the life of the CDS community, and even for Second Life. The Monastery could not exist without the help and generosity of CDS citizens and SL residents. It needs skill, time and money, and it cannot be truly successful on the shoulders of only one individual. Thanks to Second Life, we can make some of our dreams come true. -Arria Perreault

A TRUE STORY I was new, not good with computers, and bored. I was wearing a short skirt and blingy chest rings, blinging far and wide through my freebie leather jacket. It seemed that was the thing to do. Second Life appeared to be lacking in depth and communication and I saw males running around wearing unmentionable attachments. (I had clearly been to the wrong places). “There must be some sensible people here somewhere” I thought. “Maybe there are some nice people at a yachting club”. I searched and found Nantucket Yacht Club and teleported onto a jetty. There was a man. No silly attachments, no fancy skin, no chat up lines. And very oddly… no talking at all! I said hello, but he did not answer. Now, when you are new in Second Life, you don’t understand about chat lag, AFK, invisible avatar… so I believed this person was truly ignoring me. I said “hello” again. No answer. Off I walked and viewed the boats. Up one jetty, down the next. Then I arrived back where the man was. I said hello again. Still no reply. Determined, I asked “Do you have a yacht here?” Sigh. I walked away pretty much in disgust really at being ignored several times. Then… as I was leaving… I saw very faintly on my screen… "...Yes." Maybe he does not speak English, I thought. Then the next word from him… "...Sail?" This was odd, but clearly this man was asking if I wanted to sail in his boat! I accepted and followed the man as he walked along the jettys to his yacht. The sailing was just amazing! (Although in silence!) I had not experienced anything like it! I asked him if I could take photographs. He said yes. The sea, the land, the turns, the commands, a skipper on a small yacht, sailing it just for me. After a long time out to sea, we returned to the jetty. The man stood up and walked away — without a word — to the clubhouse. Well, as I like to talk, I really couldn’t accept this. I followed and walked to him and asked “What language do you speak?” No reply. It was puzzling. There were others in the clubhouse. Ravishal Bentham sent me an IM. “Have you read his profile?” I was new, why would I think doing of that? So I did. That was the moment that changed my Second Life. The man's name was Djduerer Zou. He described himself in his profile: ✲ Friendly, kind, tall, bedridden, sailor. ✲ Can barely type. ✲ Difficulty seeing, too. ✲ It gets worse in the afternoon SLT time. ✲ Slow. ✲ I use gestures to speak. ✲ In my life I am terminally ill (soon dead) with progressive brain disease, OPCA also known as MSA. ✲ No regrets, lived passionately. ✲ SL is my life. I couldn’t imagine to have ever read such a thing or met such a person in SL. The reality of the situation made my mind whirl. I had been sailing with a man who was living the last days of his Real Life here, in Second Life, living the Real Life that he had known. As a sailor. My computer was a blur. There was something different here. Djduerer managed to type: “dance” “I think he is asking you to dance,” wrote Ravishal in an IM. After the short dance, I walked outside and stood my avatar looking out to sea. Thinking. I logged off Second Life with a hollow feeling inside but at the same time — a spark — a feeling that there was real life here in these avatars. After this day I returned twice to see Djduerer, and both times he took me sailing. I dropped the bling chest rings and lengthened my skirt! I talked to him, not expecting a reply. I remember once as we were sailing saying to him, “You must have had a wonderful Real Life at sea." His answer made me happy and sad at the same time… ”Yes!!!!!!!!!” he said. Then, a couple of weeks later, I heard that Djduerer had passed away. Four years — or more — later, when I am helping new people, this experience is never far from my mind. At no time has anything in Second Life ever taught me so much as the day I met Djduerer Zou and discovered who was really behind the avatar. I have used my experience of meeting Djduerer to explain to others about Second Life and to help them to have an open mind. I doubt my presence here meant much to Djduerer. If I kept him company for a few sailings, that makes me happy, but Djduerer’s presence in Second Life meant so much to me. He taught me the most important lesson I have learned here, and I am grateful for that moment we met — it showed me what online living can really mean. - Treacle Darlandes Published with the kind permission of the real-life widow of Djduerer Zou.

It is difficult to single out an act of generosity from my perspective in Second Life, because I have the good fortune of serving as the American Cancer Society’s director of virtual world activity, which means that I get to work with the thousands of volunteers for Relay For Life of Second Life every year. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t hear a story about an avatar who gives of his or her own time and talents to help make the Relay experience in Second Life better. Even those avatars who don’t consider themselves “team members” or “volunteers” contribute when they donate items or refer people to the American Cancer Society Island for support and information. And it is the ACS Island that I would like to focus on for this year’s blog post. For years, the ACS Island has been in Second Life, with many changes to its overall design, look, and feel. I must give thanks to Bora Rossini for being the first “official” volunteer designer of ACS Island, and for helping us to develop a vision that makes sense for those who come to the island seeking cancer information and support, as well as a visually stunning experience. Now, after nearly a year of planning and developing, Zander Greene and Lauren Thibaud (along with many of their own friends) have contributed many hours of design work to bring us the experience that is currently meeting the needs of our island visitors. From Zander’s leadership, his design team has created a visual experience that meets the primary goals of the American Cancer Society’s Island in a way that allows visitors to navigate without assistance, understand what they’re looking at, and find the information and support they need. It’s especially gratifying to work with someone who remains positive and encouraging and who always seems excited and passionate about what he’s doing. Zander constantly surprises us with new ideas and ways to improve what he has already built. His persistent pursuit of excellence is infectious. He and his team also generously give their time and talents to the Second Life Fantasy Faire every year. Through their generosity, they are providing a place for cancer patients and their caregivers to come in Second Life that helps them to find the support they need. Zander and his team care deeply about the meaning behind their work, both as artists as well as dedicated, passionate warriors in the fight against cancer. If you ever get a chance to talk to Zander about why he cares so much and why he gives so much of himself, I urge you to do so. He’s a truly special individual with a heart of gold (or purple)! Zander and his team have donated all of the time and enery — and prims — that it took to create this experience, and continue to support it, while also addressing their own Second Life personal and business needs. I am grateful to have this forum to publically recognize, thank, and show appreciation for the generosity shown by Zander and his team to the American Cancer Society, and am proud to work with them each day. - Stingray9798 Raymaker

Caitlin Tobias wrote: Although I appreciate the happy questions and threads, I can't help but wonder why you ask all this in General Discussions and not in the appropiate, designated sections? In tandem with the Gratitude Guest Blog event that is happening right now, we are sharing these questions with the community for general discussion to highlight some of the positive aspects of the holiday season from a residents' perspective. This event will last through the end of today, with a few more questions threads to come! Thanks and kind regards.

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