Second Life FAQ

The heart of the Second Life FAQ database used to be ‘The Second Life Wiki Extended Knowledge Base’ According to Wikipedia, the world’s foremost authority on wikis, they include “community websites, corporate intranets, knowledge management systems” which are collaboratively maintained by those communities. Their users contribute updated information on an ongoing basis, and can also provide editorial functions to monitor the content and ensure its accuracy. [Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki ]

Second Life wiki

Wiki’s provide a great place to store user information and a forum for community engagement, but there’s a downside as well. When everyone in the community is allowed to post and edit information, it’s difficult to maintain accuracy for technical information. There’s always the potential for losing control, especially when the database grows so large that it requires more than one Second Life FAQ section.

The Official SL Knowledge Base

Since Second Life is privately owned by Linden Lab, it makes sense that they would eventually want to be able to maintain control of the wealth of information that has developed over the years. So now the ‘official’ SL Knowledge Base is located on the Second Life Community Platform , where Linden Lab will have an easier time overseeing and maintaining it.

Second Life Community Platform

SL citizens have been somewhat worried that they will lose the opportunity to participate in the new Knowledge Base in the same way they used to participate in the wiki. One concern was that the wiki contained a wealth of information about designing avatars, building worlds and other details that were freely shared by talented designers. But there is really no need for worry. The wiki is not going away. It will supplement the official Knowledge Base.

Extended Knowledge Base

From the way that Linden Lab has reorganized the information, it looks like users will benefit from the move. The information that is highly specialized or unusual will still be maintained on the wiki in the Extended Knowledge Base, along with Linden Lab official policy information. Outdated articles will be deleted. And the general information articles that are being relocated to the SL platform now have redirects so users who are searching for them won’t come up empty-handed.

SL Resident Feedback

Second Life users can still participate in determining what information goes into the Knowledge Base now that it’s on the same platform as the forums, blogs and Answers [one of the most-used Second Life FAQ databases]. In fact, it’s the SL Residents who will give feedback about which information from the forums and Answers makes it into official KB articles. Those Residents who participate the most will have the most say in what the Knowledge Base contains.