Photos: Newbie explores 'Second Life'


Hovering near waterfall
Joining Linden Lab's virtual world is free, but once inside, there are multiple opportunities to spend money on clothes, real estate, art, furniture and more. While it's easy to score garb for free, Amelia splurged and bought herself this fancy dress for 300 Linden dollars (about $1).
Leslie, Dan avatars
Leslie's avatar, Amelia, hangs out with CNET News.com reporter Daniel Terdiman's avatar, GreeterDan, in a "Second Life" garden. Daniel, an SL veteran, shared some useful tips for getting around the virtual space.
Box on head
While trying to open a box of free digital clothes using her mouse and a series of clicks, Leslie makes a common newbie mistake, clicking on the box and then clicking Wear, rather than opening the box first and then clicking on its contents. While "Second Life" is home to every type of outlandish outfit imaginable, the resulting box-on-the-head look clearly isn't too flattering.
Information area
Note: At bottom left, the graphics are still loading. Sometimes it takes awhile.
Avatar flying
For some residents of "Second Life," being able to fly is one of the biggest draws of the online space. Here, Amelia soars above Serenity Woods, a lush region of streams, trees and rock formations.