Twitter Search Engines

Seems there are now special search engines for Twitter. I look at twitter just to see what’s up. Lots of news breaks there. On fast breaking subjects real time results are wonderful. Search engines are figuring this out. Google and Microsoft are looking at buying Twitter. They have recognized Twitter’s value in getting new information on fast breaking subjects.

Those looking for new information on Second Life can scan Twitter, Plurk and whatever with some of the newer real time search engines. Most seem to focus on Twitter. Others provide a broader range of sources.

Bing, Microsoft’s search engine, has their own new effort, Bing Tweets. Seems they have a couple of tools for watching tweets and a search engine that gives more weight to Tweets but still includes regular search stuff. The real-time scroll of Tweets on a subject is kinda neat but hard to read on fast scrolling popular subjects.

Twitter Search Review

Twitter search sites: The three best, and all the rest Dated June and a bit out of date, but still a good list of sources. Their top 3 are:

TwazzupIs simple Twitter search. Results update in real time.

CollectaThis is a more generalized real time search covering more than just twitter. One has to use double quotes for terms like “Second Life” to keep it on target.

Scoopler – This one is also a broad search using many sources but has a column of  Tweets on the right.

Imprudence 1.2 Beta 2 Viewer Review

Second Life Viewers
Imprudence Viewer Desktop Logo
The newer Imprudence Viewer Beta is out. It works on Windows, Mac (OS X Intel) and Linux. This update has some major fixes for the previous Beta release. If you updated prior to 10/9 then you need to get a new download and uninstall and re-install.

Massively has posted an update on the Imprudence Viewer. Get the details there. See: Imprudence 1.2 Beta2 viewer for Second Life Also, check out the Imprudence Metaverse Viewer Blog.

Previous Imprudence Review Post: Imprudence Viewer 1.1.0 Review

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Another Second Life Scam Site?

Massively is reporting a new Second Life scam site based in Singapore; VirtualGet.net. (Actually, it looks more like it is New York based.) This is a very XStreetLS like site. Various creators in Second Life are warning customers that VirtualGet.net is a credit card harvesting site. That is apparently unconfirmed. However, it is confirmed that products and images of products displayed on VirtualGet.net are there without the creators’ permission. Numerous DCMA complaints are filed.

There is a thread about the VirtualGet.net site in the Second Life Blog; Has anyone encountered the virtualget.net ripoff site? As of 10:58 Oct 7, 2009 Jeska Linden has locked the thread and provided a link to file your complaints.

The VirtualGet.net site is displaying and ‘OOPS!’ message as I write this. The claim is that this was a test site and products were pulled by an automated process to populate the site and show the client what the final site would look like. Lots of apologies there. Apparently a new site developer.

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Neil Life Viewer Review Updated

I added an  update to the Neil Life Viewer Review I wrote in early August. See; Warning – Neil Life Viewer

Today Massively is reporting that a number of those using the Neil Life Viewer for IP theft have been banned. See; Linden Lab rounds up and ejects a bunch of copyright infringers

Massively explains how those abusing IP rights were separated from those just running the viewer. Smart.

This effort from Linden Lab is a good move in the face of the current law suites pending regarding IP theft. (See Wired: Linden Lab Targeted in Second Life Sex-Code Lawsuit) When one considers that Second Life residents spend about US$50 million real life dollars per month an idea of the importance of the action is apparent.

Blue Mars Developer’s Tools Review

Blue Mars Developer Tools
Blue Mars Block Editor

To create things in Blue Mars one must become a developer. So, how easy is it to register? No problem. How easy is it to build something in Blue Mars? Not very.

Registration

First, one registers on the Blue Mars site and gains access to the Developers’ section of the Blue Mars web site. The tools needed to build things for Blue Mars can be downloaded from within the section. The developer is getting a sub-licensed copy of CryEngine 2 MOD SDK*. Easy enough. Blue Mars is supposed to offer more control over ownership of created items. From the look of the info on your personal developer’s page it looks like that will be the case.

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Blue Mars Review & Tips

Blue Mars Open Beta
Desktop Icon

I tend to agree with Kanomi of Tiny Dancing in her funny post about Playing Blue Mars. It’s for boys. I registered weeks ago and watched my email and the spam folder too. Still no invitation. I opened a yahoo email account using a boyish name and four days later I have my invite. That could be coincidence. …right.

Updated 10/13/2009New Blue Mars Review Stuff Here
Updated 12/17/2009Blue Mars Goes Open Beta

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