English information

The debate about Second Life, the new Internet platform, has been making waves for months. Some see it as the ultimate online experience while others reject it as short-lived hype. Yet regardless of personal opinions about the pros and cons, there is a general consensus that Second Life is a fantastic experiment that opens up unique opportunities for the Internet of the future.

MFG Innovation Park

Three-dimensional and interactive – Second Life is not simply a replica of the real world, it sets groundbreaking standards for technological innovation and the Web of the future. Anyone who wants to play a part in shaping it is welcome to contribute. MFG Baden-Württemberg – the Public Innovation Agency for Information Technology and Media – launched the “MFG Innovation Park” in March 2007 in Second Life.

The first such occasion – a lively discussion on the subject of “Read now in Web 2.0?” organised by the Literatur-Café in Stuttgart– attracted 30 avatars. A reading by crime writers followed in June last year along with a live streaming of the opening and keynotes of the DMMK (Deutscher Multimedia Kongress) and the presentation of the DMMA (German Multimedia Award) on June 21st 2007.

The “MFG Innovation Park” forms an important element of the virtual region. Universities in Baden-Württemberg acquire land free of charge on which they can realise their own projects.

The Innovation Park is also open to companies. “Our aim is to give young, creative brains from Baden-Württemberg a chance to test new forms of communication and cooperation on the 3D Internet at an early stage in partnership with us”, explains Klaus Haasis, Managing Director of MFG Baden-Württemberg, commenting on the mission of his centre of innovation and excellence.

According to Haasis, there is a definite need for research into Internet users’ behaviour in three-dimensional space: “The 3D Internet holds enormous potential for the future. Around half of all companies in Baden-Württemberg meanwhile take advantage of the opportunities generated by e-business. This potential must be protected for future generations with innovative solutions from the creative sector”.

The Baden-Württemberg island can be accessed via http://secondlife.mfg-innovation.de/teleport.

More information: Stefan Sottner  secondlife@mfg.de