Second life ''should be approached with caution''

Businesses considering deploying virtual environments such as Second Life as part of their business operations should think carefully about the potential problems beforehand.

According to a report from Gartner, there are several obstructions to the successful implementation of such platforms within a business organisation.

Issues such as graphics card compatibility could hinder the benefits of virtual environments, plus downtime notifications can be out of date and impact operations as a result, the report said.

In addition, the report pointed out the probability that other virtual platforms may emerge over the coming months, which could provide more practical options for businesses.

Carol Rozwell from Gartner said that Second Life had proved a good learning tool and market pioneer.

"However, we urge organisations to look beyond marketing hype when evaluating virtual environments. Platform uptime is a critical success factor, and Second Life has a questionable track record in this metric," she added.
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