Talk about SL™ Commerce
Last Updated on Monday, 26 July 2010 17:37 Written by Se7en Wirsing Sunday, 10 January 2010 23:50
Discover the Commerce Forums
In case you were wondering, there is a place to learn about business issues in Second Life® and join in the discussion. The Commerce Forums (don't let the name put you off) are at https://blogs.secondlife.com/community/commerce. Thinking the forum is only for business owners or economics majors is a mistake. It is loaded with interesting information as well as banter on such topics as the SL Pro! Conference in February 2010, the new Managing Freebies Roadmap and employment in SL. Some people have commented that it’s difficult to find and, having only stumbled upon it myself, I understand why they say that.
Hot Topics
One of the hottest topics continues to be the Roadmap for Managing Freebies. The discussion seems to scroll down the page forever and you can join in if you are a Second Life resident. Log in at the top right corner and you’re ready to present your opinions to the world…or at least to the realm of forum readers. Be prepared; it will be read and commented on. There are more readers – people interested in commerce – than you think. You may even start your own discussion or view and comment on discussions started by other residents. The typical discussions are opinions or questions relating to business, like rights of owners or intellectual property.
Elsewhere on the Forum
If you’re looking for work or workers in SL, check the employment listings under the heading Commerce Forum Index on the left. It hasn’t grown to be like the listings in the previous forum, but as people find it, it may become as popular. You can also advertise your business services like photography or weddings.
There are announcements near the top of the page. If you want to receive notifications, you can sign up for feeds or email notices. This is particularly useful if you’re following a certain type of news or issue, like the Roadmap or office hours. Office hours is an inworld meeting between the Lindens and citizens who are interested in the business topics on the agenda for the day. A transcript of the discussion becomes available a month or so after the meeting. Notices of the meetings are given in the announcements section. If you’re looking to interact with the policymakers, this is your chance.
Looking for More Resources?
Another place to find business-related information is http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Business_and_Marketing. Second Life Commerce Merchants group inworld is resource for connecting with other business owners. Use the search function to find it. There is no lack of business expertise and advice if you know where to look.
