Linden Lab has purchased graphics technology from Boston-based Windward Mark Interactive including Windlight, an “advanced atmospheric rendering technology,” and Nimble, “a realistic 3D cloud simulator.” WindLight “simulates the ways that sunlight is scattered by the atmosphere under different climatic conditions, such as fog or haze”. Torley Linden says: "Long story short: killer skies and kickass environments!"
From blog.secondlife.com: We will shortly begin beta testing an age and identity verification system, which will allow Residents to provide a one-time proof of identity (such as a driver’s license, passport or ID card) and have that identity verified in a matter of moments.
Second Life has always been restricted to those over 18. All Residents personally assert their age on registration. When we receive reports of underage Residents in Second Life, we close their account until they provide us with proof of age. This system works well, but as the community grows and the attractions of Second Life become more widely known, we’ve decided to add an additional layer of protection.
This year on June 23rd, we celebrate Second Life's 4th Birthday - 4 years since Second Life was opened to the public. There will be nine SL4B sims within the game which will cover some of the history of Second Life. Search for "SL4B" within Second Life to visit this event.
by Jeska Linden:
Later today, we plan to release a new version of the Beta Test Grid, where you may notice a different version of the profile which completely removes ratings. As Second Life has grown, the ratings system has become less and less useful. During our investigation into ways to help reduce database load, we found that the database resources required to maintain the ratings system were far greater than its utility and popularity. We are currently working on adding features that will allow Residents more flexibility in bringing their real and online identities into Second Life.
We’re excited to see that several Residents, seeing opportunities for better solutions, have already created in-world ratings/reputation/social systems which you may want to explore. More info can be found HERE
The Second Life Library is full of helpful resources; including books, programs, exhibits and events to inform and educate you on multiple topics related to this virtual world. There is also a staff of friendly volunteers to help answer questions for the Second Life community. You may visit this benevolent place HERE
Did you know the official Second Life mascot is a hippo? Find out more about this and other fun facts from the displays located at the Historical Museum. Study the trivia there and impress your friends in the virtual world! The location may be visited HERE
Second Life CEO Philip Rosedale announced in a recent Secondcast podcast that a voice feature will be coming to SL by June. This new feature will be optional and can be enabled or disabled by each landowner.
Linden Lab has ended the real estate program known as “first land,” which allowed new premium users to buy property for L$1 per meter.
“Increasingly we have found that these cheap L$1 per meter parcels were not benefitting those people as intended. Because of the low price, they were being immediately sold, or bought via alts, purely for profit,” Jack Linden said in a blog post. “We have discussed many methods to ensure that First Land is used as intended but have decided that there is no way to do this without significantly impacting on resident freedoms.”
Can't wait for Duran Duran to join the Second Life community? Well, take a trip to a castle devoted to this famous British band HERE. Their ever popular songs are always playing and the castle features multiple dance areas to enjoy. Be sure to say hello to the very kind owner, Chrissy Welinder.
The Relay For Life event in Second Life starts July 28th. Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature fundraising event, raising millions each year for cancer research and patient programs. The Second Life Relay For Life website is http://www.slrfl.org/
Did you leave Help Island quickly to start getting into the big virtual world right away? Good news! Linden Labs has recently made a Help Island available for the public to revisit. So if you'd like to see what you may have missed the first time and pick up some free items, visit the link HERE
What is 
Java Jya
