Glossary of terms used in Second Life

  • Viewer - Linden Labs’ term for the client software, installed on your computer.
  • Avatar or Avi - the player character you create!
  • Simulation or sim - a virtual world/environment/land within Second Life. There are many.
  • in-world - referring to anything that happens within the Second Life environment.
  • LL - shorthand for Linden Labs, the creators of Second Life.
  • Marketplace or MP - the SL Marketplace, https://marketplace.secondlife.com. Real-world corollary to in-world shops.
  • Lindens or L$ (sometimes just abbreviated L) - virtual currency for Second Life. Can be earned in-world with quests, working a job, and other ways. Can also be purchased directly from https://secondlife.com/my/lindex/buy.php for real money, or sold back for cash, based on an exchange rate.
  • Landmark or LM - a place mark to teleport to a different location.
  • Notecard or NC - an in-world object that is a text-only notecard. Often used for providing information about purchases or sims. You can also leave notecards for other users, either directly given to them or deposited in designated mailboxes.
  • Mouselook or ML - focus where the camera is in first-person view, and the mouse controls where you look. It is possible to force someone into Mouselook using RLV. This mode restricts what you can click on in-world, and can block access to HUDs and the use of objects. You also cannot look at yourself in this mode.