If you want to open up a store, but worry about the rent -- you could always build one in a virtual world like Second Life.
Indiana University is set to host a week-long workshop to teach people how to do exactly that.
"A lot of people think you can just put these places together overnight, because you can get an island in Second Life and fairly soon start to put buildings and stuff up," said Lee Sheldon, assistant professor of telecommunications at Indiana University and the designer of 20 video games. "It's far more complicated than that."
Some economists have studied these virtual worlds, which have their own currencies and markets.
I interviewed one of the workshop organizers Edward Castronova in the early days of these communities. He talked about his rise from poverty to middle class in the virtual world Everquest. (He had to begin by killing rats and selling their hides.) Castronova, at the time, had trouble getting his research published. You can listen to our talk here.
The workshop, by the way. You gotta pay real dollars.
Until July 15, registration will cost $2,750. After Jul 15, registration will increase to $3,150.
categories: Economic Scene
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