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Setting Up

You will need both a Second Life account and access to a computer running Second Life. (Both an account and the application are available free of charge.)

Creating a Second Life Account

  1. Go to secondlife.com and click the link to Join at the upper right.

  2. If you would like, select a community where you will first enter Second Life upon your account creation. Feel free to skip this step unless a certain entrance point looks interesting to you.

  3. Choose an avatar name—your avatar is your virtual representative in-world. You can choose any name you want for a first name; however, you must choose from a preset list of last names.

  4. Next, enter your birthdate (you must be 18 years or older) and an e-mail address associated with your account.

  5. Select an avatar to get started.

  6. Then, enter your real name, choose a password, complete other details, and check the box to agree to Terms of Service.

  7. After you have entered all the required information, Linden Lab (the creators of Second Life) prompts you to upgrade to a paid membership. You can decline the upgrade to continue with a basic, free account.

  8. Write down your avatar first and last name, as well as a password reminder, and place it in a safe location for future reference.

  9. Open your email client to locate an email regarding your new Second Life account. Follow the instructions to activate your account.

  10. On th Second Life web site, a link to download the application will appear in case you would like to download and install the application.

If you are on a computer that has Second Life installed, there is no need to download the program again. What you do in Second Life remains with your account in-world, so regardless from which computer you access Second Life, your inventory will remain with you.

Downloading and Installing Second Life

  1. If you have just completed account setup, a link to download the Second Life application will appear. If you had previously created an avatar (e.g., during a workshop or demonstration session), you can download Second Life from the Support: Downloads page.

Before installing, be sure your computer meets or exceeds the minimum system requirements. Also, a broadband network connection is necessary for an enjoyable Second Life experience.

  1. Choose the appropriate Second Life Installer to begin downloading.

  2. After download is complete, launch the installer.

  3. You will be prompted to enter your avatar name (the first and last name you chose while creating your account) and password.

 

See Getting Oriented for the next step in getting started.