Check out the
System Requirements
to ensure you have a computer that can run Second Life well. Most up
to date computers are suitable, but the graphics card is important.
[Tip: For Nvidia cards, the second digit of the model number represents the
power of the card. More memory is better]
When run, the Second Life viewer may ask for the communications ports
it needs to be unblocked. But, in corporate environments and where firewalls
need explicit configuration, see these
Firewall
Configuration notes.
Second Life uses Quicktime for media playback. Ensure your
Quciktime setup is up to date.
If you do not already have a Second Life avatar (which represents
you in the Virtual World) then create one.
Join now free.
[We suggest you "Skip this Step" when asked if you wish to join a
community, and just use Linden lab's own default orientation area]
It is useful to have a little in-world currently (Linden Dollars)
to buy small items, though much is available free too. We often add
US$10 budget for a new avatar, or register the avatar for a premium
membership at a cost of US$72 per annum, which also allows for a small
plot of land to be purchased and then owned at no extra cost, and provides a weekly
stipend of Linden Dollars.
More advice on creating your avatar and joining Second Life is
available via other
Tutorials
Launch the Second life Viewer, login with your avatar details,
check you can access Second Life through your computer and firewall,
and make sure you understand the basic controls.
Once you are ready, try to make your way to a sample I-Room inside
the AIAI2 Office which is already set up on the
Virtual University of Edinburgh
(Vue). Click on the link below to get there via an "SLurl" - a Second
life URL - which is a convenient way to give a Second life location on
a web page.
Specific demonstration for Virtual World of Whisky I-Room is
here.
Real time show of compeur screens for powerpoint presnetations or
other screencasts is possible using a combination of a screen capture
faclity coupled with a means to broadcast that to others. We use the
(licenced) Wirecast and the free Desktop Presenter to create a live
video (and audio if required) stream to a Quicktime media streaming
server. Download
Wirecast Desktop Presenter. [Note: Desktop Presenter
uses port 7272 for streaming the screen or area of the screen to Wirecast]
Advanced Suggestions for Second Life Use for Collaboration
Turn on lip sync for your avatar when using voice via
Advanced -> Character -> Enable Lip Sync