The top eight corporate sites in Second Life

6. Cisco Systems Inc.

IT pros definitely fawn all over Cisco Systems. This well-populated island showcases its products in a cleanly designed "connected home" of the future -- although it's a little heavy on marketing. There are routers, streaming media devices and VoIP phones scattered all about the two-level dwelling.

The real draw, though, are the company-sponsored user group meetings with keynote speakers such as John Chambers, Cisco's CEO, and Tom Malone, an MIT luminary. Second Lifers apparently formed the first groups autonomously and asked for Cisco sponsorship after the group swelled in numbers.

There's more of a marketing tone on Cisco Island, but the keynote talks are outstanding. (Click image to see larger view)

During one event I attended, several techie conversations erupted spontaneously in a meeting room. Product demos allow potential customers to see how a network switch actually fits into a data center, something that usually requires an in-person executive briefing in the physical world.

"For someone who wants to learn about advanced devices, a virtual world is a good environment for that," says Joe Laszlo, a research director of broadband media at JupiterResearch and Second Life expert.

5. Reuters

A free gadget at Reuters helps you stay in touch with the news in the physical world. (Click image to see larger view)

Reuters' concrete-and-sidewalk location in Second Life has a decidedly business feel, with tall downtown skyscrapers and lush fountains. Yet, it does attract curious Second Lifers who want to discuss the hot topics of the day. During my visit, several discussions involved the recent Virginia Tech shootings, as well as the recent Supreme Court ruling banning partial birth abortion. A Reuters News Center device, available for free, feeds you the news of the day on a handheld reader.

What's really interesting is that Reuters has a handful of journalists who wander through Second Life -- visiting campuses such as Dell and Sun -- to find news stories that make it onto the real-world service. This model of "virtual journalism" shows how a virtual presence can add credibility to a reporter who asks questions, can record chat history and follow up by phone and e-mail for fact checking.