Intel Launching Developer Education Program In Second LifeIntel Launching Developer Education Program In Second Life

Intel on Tuesday launched a series of presentations in Second Life to allow developers of multicore, manageability, and mobility technologies to interact with Intel engineers and experts.

The new Intel Software Network area will offer online training, Webcasts, and meet-the-experts events, as well as the "Braniac Warbots" contest, where developers will be able to use the Second Life standard Linden Scripting Language (LSL) to build robots that compete.

The meet-the-experts events began Tuesday with an event around developing for multicore processors and threading. Attendance was good -- by Second Life standards -- with about 60 people turning out.

The Second Life effort is an extension of Intel's Web presence.

"We see that Second Life is becoming a popular area for our audience, it provides a new, rich environment for training and exchanging information as well as entertainment," Scott Apeland, director of the Intel developer network, said. "As the developer base grows in Second Life, we want to be there and grow with them and provide the information they need to get the most out of Intel platforms."

The Second Life area has links to Web content, including videos, Web sites, and blogs.

Intel views the Second Life venture as experimental. "It's an experiment to see what really works in Second Life, what really works for the technical audience and developers," Apeland said.

The company will measure its return on investment by listening to feedback from developers, measuring repeat visits, and how many developers engage with the community.

Intel has two areas in Second Life, known in SL jargon as "sims." In April, Intel introduced Orange County Choppers, where Second Life users could design their own virtual motorcycles.

In October, Intel hired Second Life developer Kess Quinn -- known in Second Life as "Versu Richelieu" -- for a project called Live Without Boundaries.. Quinn sat in a New York storefront and recreate the streetscape around her in Second Life,, starting with the window she was sitting in. Rocketboom did a video report.

Other technology companies, including IBM, Cisco, Microsoft, and Sun Microsystems, have strong presences in Second Life. IBM, Cisco and Sun are using Second Life for collaboration, something that Intel is looking into, but has not yet implemented.

Intel plans another Second Life announcement, aimed at consumers, next week.