Comments on: Second Life’s “Wild West” — the land of start-ups and no cops, yet http://venturebeat.com/2006/10/22/second-lifes-wild-west-the-land-of-start-ups-and-no-cops-yet/ News About Tech, Money and Innovation Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:47:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Swiss Dude http://venturebeat.com/2006/10/22/second-lifes-wild-west-the-land-of-start-ups-and-no-cops-yet/comment-page-1/#comment-534326 Swiss Dude Sat, 15 Sep 2007 15:37:41 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2006/10/22/second-lifes-wild-west-the-land-of-start-ups-and-no-cops-yet/#comment-534326 Hey! Nice blog posting about the land of start-ups and no cops, yet. I would have to agree with you on this one. I am going to look more into offshore bank. This Saturday I have time. Hey! Nice blog posting about the land of start-ups and no cops, yet. I would have to agree with you on this one. I am going to look more into offshore bank. This Saturday I have time.

]]> By: ryan1 http://venturebeat.com/2006/10/22/second-lifes-wild-west-the-land-of-start-ups-and-no-cops-yet/comment-page-1/#comment-6493 ryan1 Mon, 06 Nov 2006 22:32:48 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2006/10/22/second-lifes-wild-west-the-land-of-start-ups-and-no-cops-yet/#comment-6493 ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff

]]> By: SecondLife와 상표 저작권 « Bundle of Sticks http://venturebeat.com/2006/10/22/second-lifes-wild-west-the-land-of-start-ups-and-no-cops-yet/comment-page-1/#comment-6186 SecondLife와 상표 저작권 « Bundle of Sticks Tue, 24 Oct 2006 04:50:28 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2006/10/22/second-lifes-wild-west-the-land-of-start-ups-and-no-cops-yet/#comment-6186 [...] SL에 편승해서 생겨나는 비즈니스도 많다. Second Life’s “Wild West” — the land of start-ups and no cops, yet 에 몇 가지 회사가 소개되어 있다. SecondLifeê°€ 기회는 많고 규제자는 없던 Wild West와 같다고 표현하고 있다. 이런 비즈니스를 소개해주는 온라인 매거진 도 생겼다. [...] [...] SL에 편승해서 생겨나는 비즈니스도 많다. Second Life’s “Wild West” — the land of start-ups and no cops, yet 에 몇 가지 회사가 소개되어 있다. SecondLifeê°€ 기회는 많고 규제자는 없던 Wild West와 같다고 표현하고 있다. 이런 비즈니스를 소개해주는 온라인 매거진 도 생겼다. [...]

]]> By: hunter walk http://venturebeat.com/2006/10/22/second-lifes-wild-west-the-land-of-start-ups-and-no-cops-yet/comment-page-1/#comment-6174 hunter walk Mon, 23 Oct 2006 16:54:35 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2006/10/22/second-lifes-wild-west-the-land-of-start-ups-and-no-cops-yet/#comment-6174 It's too late - the accountants are already in SL :-) http://news.com.com/2100-1043_3-6107513.html It’s too late – the accountants are already in SL :-)

http://news.com.com/2100-1043_3-6107513.html

]]> By: Rational Beaver http://venturebeat.com/2006/10/22/second-lifes-wild-west-the-land-of-start-ups-and-no-cops-yet/comment-page-1/#comment-6173 Rational Beaver Mon, 23 Oct 2006 16:17:15 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2006/10/22/second-lifes-wild-west-the-land-of-start-ups-and-no-cops-yet/#comment-6173 There are definitely going to be some interesting tax questions coming up in the near future. I think Congress cares less about people buying and selling virtual shoes and more about companies like Crayon that could easily conceal their revenues by simply not cashing them out of the game. Currently, people are taxed on their SL earnings when they convert them from virtual Lindon to real dollars. But what if your real-world corporation earns $5 million in the game and then, instead of cashing it out to be taxed, just spends it in the game... You could pay your employees in virtual money (thus avoiding the corporate double tax), or buy real world services from other businesses in the game with virtual money. That's going to cause some problems. There are definitely going to be some interesting tax questions coming up in the near future. I think Congress cares less about people buying and selling virtual shoes and more about companies like Crayon that could easily conceal their revenues by simply not cashing them out of the game. Currently, people are taxed on their SL earnings when they convert them from virtual Lindon to real dollars. But what if your real-world corporation earns $5 million in the game and then, instead of cashing it out to be taxed, just spends it in the game… You could pay your employees in virtual money (thus avoiding the corporate double tax), or buy real world services from other businesses in the game with virtual money. That’s going to cause some problems.

]]> By: csven http://venturebeat.com/2006/10/22/second-lifes-wild-west-the-land-of-start-ups-and-no-cops-yet/comment-page-1/#comment-6171 csven Mon, 23 Oct 2006 14:47:24 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2006/10/22/second-lifes-wild-west-the-land-of-start-ups-and-no-cops-yet/#comment-6171 "white and nerdy" types? Interestingly enough, I've met a surprisingly diverse group of individuals in SL - many of them neither white nor nerdy. I've actually been most amazed at the numbers of people who use SL but are complete noobs to not just 3D videogames/virtual worlds, but to computers in general. I would not have expected it but that's what I discovered. If a "good user experience" is an issue, I've not seen that to be a significant one in my almost two years using SL. Perhaps declarations such as David's should be regarded as limited, since I doubt they're based on any real statistical analysis that holds any relevance. What's surprising to me is a) that anyone actually believes inworld taxation makes sense for an international user base, and b) that "virtual" goods have worth considering the world is full of virtual goods... only they don't have a visual association to tangible goods (is a concert ticket made of paper really worth $100? is a baseball hit by a professional athlete really worth an exponentially greater dollar amount than a fresh ball out of the package?). What do people think the stock market is but a game where people trade in virtual portions of companies and the future worth of products as yet unproduced. Are people so easily thrown off track by a meaningless association? Apparently. “white and nerdy” types?

Interestingly enough, I’ve met a surprisingly diverse group of individuals in SL – many of them neither white nor nerdy. I’ve actually been most amazed at the numbers of people who use SL but are complete noobs to not just 3D videogames/virtual worlds, but to computers in general. I would not have expected it but that’s what I discovered. If a “good user experience” is an issue, I’ve not seen that to be a significant one in my almost two years using SL. Perhaps declarations such as David’s should be regarded as limited, since I doubt they’re based on any real statistical analysis that holds any relevance.

What’s surprising to me is a) that anyone actually believes inworld taxation makes sense for an international user base, and b) that “virtual” goods have worth considering the world is full of virtual goods… only they don’t have a visual association to tangible goods (is a concert ticket made of paper really worth $100? is a baseball hit by a professional athlete really worth an exponentially greater dollar amount than a fresh ball out of the package?). What do people think the stock market is but a game where people trade in virtual portions of companies and the future worth of products as yet unproduced. Are people so easily thrown off track by a meaningless association? Apparently.

]]> By: David Scott Lewis http://venturebeat.com/2006/10/22/second-lifes-wild-west-the-land-of-start-ups-and-no-cops-yet/comment-page-1/#comment-6169 David Scott Lewis Mon, 23 Oct 2006 13:42:07 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2006/10/22/second-lifes-wild-west-the-land-of-start-ups-and-no-cops-yet/#comment-6169 Think eBay. If someone makes money in Second Life (SL), shouldn't they be taxed just like somebody making money on eBay? I fail to see any differences. (Primarily) services versus (primarily) products? Sorry, still taxable. The issue with SL isn't potential taxation of commerce, but poor usability (among other things). A good user experience is woefully lacking, sans for "white and nerdy" types (as in the video). Think eBay. If someone makes money in Second Life (SL), shouldn’t they be taxed just like somebody making money on eBay? I fail to see any differences. (Primarily) services versus (primarily) products? Sorry, still taxable.

The issue with SL isn’t potential taxation of commerce, but poor usability (among other things). A good user experience is woefully lacking, sans for “white and nerdy” types (as in the video).

]]> By: zorochina http://venturebeat.com/2006/10/22/second-lifes-wild-west-the-land-of-start-ups-and-no-cops-yet/comment-page-1/#comment-6167 zorochina Mon, 23 Oct 2006 10:12:52 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2006/10/22/second-lifes-wild-west-the-land-of-start-ups-and-no-cops-yet/#comment-6167 don't forget all the virtual gambling that goes on in the game. the points you win can be exchanged for real dollars? why is that different than partygaming or any of the other offshore sites that the US just shut down? don’t forget all the virtual gambling that goes on in the game. the points you win can be exchanged for real dollars? why is that different than partygaming or any of the other offshore sites that the US just shut down?

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