Newbie Tutorial 1: First steps of Second Life
So you want to be a resident in Second Life? Great. Welcome! 
Before you register
Before you register you should check that your computer got the minimum System Requirements! Most ‘not too old’ computers will work - if you don’t have a really strange graphic-card.
Visit the official Second Life homepage. At the bottom of that page you will find the link to System Requirements.
Since I didn’t do this before I registered I got really disappointed when realising that my comp was too old to be able to log in.
Two months later my old comp crashed… Thank God 
and then I made sure that my new one had what it took!
This is just a tip! So please, PLEASE don’t ask me about computer compatibility - because I know freakin’ NOTHING about stuff like that!
Second Life Sign up
Signing up is really easy! Visit Linden Labs Official Second Life Website (Linden Lab is the company that runs Second Life). And look for a button that looks something like this:
Then you have to fill in some basic stuff.
Nothing to say about this other than that it can be rather hard finding a name for your avatar that isn’t already taken… But my tip is to spend some time on this because if you like Second Life - you are going to be stuck with that name of yours!
And remember: Just because you are female or male in your real life - you don’t have to choose to be the same gender in SL!!
Next you may choose from a number of avarar-looks. Not that impressive, huh?
Don’t be afraid! Once you got through the first steps of Second Life you can get almost any look you want! Just choose the one you like best to get started!
Once the registration is done you will get a confirmation e-mail with instructions to activate your account. Next step is to download the client program that allows you to log in to Second Life - and that’s it!
Login to Second Life
To login to Second Life you have to open the client program: Second Life - the one you downloaded during the registration. It can take some time for the program to load - so be patient!
The first thing you will se is a ‘Welcome Screen’. At the bottom you have to fill in your name and the password you created. Click ‘Connect’ to log in.
Never mind all the different buttons on the screen, now! You can’t learn everything at the same time, at once! The best is to take it ’step by step’ and that’s why everyones first stop in Second Life is: Orientation Island.
First Stop: Orientation Island
Every avatar in Second Life were once a New Resident (Newbie) on Orientation Island. This place is where you start the first time you login to Second Life (SL). This island is for new residents ONLY - so everyone you meet here is just about as new as you. Once you get out of Orientation Island - there is no way to get back there again. Moohaahaa!
The purpose about this first place is to learn some basic skills. When you first arrive you’re in an open place and when you look around you will see four paths. They are called: Move, Communicate, Appearance and Search. Visit these areas to learn the basics - you will get guided along the way. This is the first message that will popup on your screen:
These guiding notes are really useful!
If you loose the sight of them on your screen during your adventures on Orientation Island you can put those notes back.
The item showing the notes is called: ‘Orientation Guide‘ and you can find it in your Inventory.
Once you found it (you can use the inventory seach) - right-click on it and choose ‘wear’ to get that little pop-up window back on your screen.
This is what the doorways to the four paths on ‘Orientation Island’ look like:
And that is all I’m going to tell you about Orientation Island since the purpose of it is that you have to figure stuff out yourself.
And don’t forget to take pictures along the way! (Click the ‘Snapshot’ button at the bottom of screen.)
Here is the very first pic I took in Second Life - during my visit on Orientation Island…
Awwww! Hope this makes you feel a liiiittle bit better about your newbie self…
And remember: There is a big, BIG world to explore once you get past this first part of Second Life.
Bye, bye Orientation Island! We will never meet again!
Good Luck See you ‘inworld’ of Second Life!
Updated: March 2008
