Isolde Mistwood

There is a November 6, 2011 article in The New York Times: Technology section called "Bit by Bit, Work Exchange Site Aims to Get Jobs Done" about Philip Rosedale's new work exchange company, Coffee and Power. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/07/technology/coffee-and-power-site-aims-to-get-jobs-done-bit-by-bit.html Although Mr. Rosedale is still a board member of Linden Lab, his focus is clearly on his new venture. The article frames Second Life as having maxed out its potential, perhaps even implying it is in decline: "Second Life, in its heyday, held similar promise. While it became notorious for sexual chatter, it has over the years attracted a Reuters news bureau, now defunct, as well as emporiums of several companies like American Apparel and Starwood Hotels. Cisco Systems also held meetings there. Second Life still exists, but is much quieter now, offering virtual currency, meetings and digital real estate, among other services. While he is still chairman of Linden Lab, the company that created Second life, Mr. Rosedale talks about that venture in the past tense "The problem with creating an immersive 3-D experience is that it is just too involved, and so it’s hard to get people to engage,” he said. “Smart people in rural areas, the handicapped, people looking for companionship, they love it. But you have to be highly motivated to get on and learn to use it."" Rosedale seems to summarize SL as having inherently limited growth potential because it is accessible and appealing to niche groups more than to mainstream consumers. This, from Linden Lab's founder and acting chairman. It's not a slam on Second Life per se, but it certainly doesn't provide an optimistic outlook on future growth, either.