Yes, indeed, it's true, Microsoft are indeed advertising Windows Vista in a lesbian strip joint. Or something like that anyway. But no cause for alarm, this is in Second Life:
Microsoft hand-picked 10 Sadville destinations to show off Vista via a virtual press conference that included visits from top executives Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer. The venues range from marketing firm displays to steamy man-tamer bars inhabited by avatars with moral and cartoonal flexibility.
Kitten Lulu, an esteemed Register reader and Second Life inhabitant, summed up the locations for us.
- Strawberry Estate, not sure what it is. There isn’t much there apart from an atomium-like structure
- Parioli, a PG Italian sim by Virtual Italian Parks
- Sanctuary Rock, dance and music club dedicated to good rock music
- Elements @ Goddess Of Love 3, one of the leading SecondLife dance and night clubs
- Crayonville Island, a marketing company’s sim
- Isle of Lesbos, the name says it all: an entire sim dedicated to (virtual or real) women who love women (i.e. Second Life’s lesbians)
- Mermaids Gentlemans Club
- ShowGirls Gentlemen’s Club
- Liquid Dreams, in their own words: “The Premier Adult Experience - The newest Adult Club in Industry Offering Escorts, Dancers, Sex Roms, Skyboxes and More!”
- Irie Vibes Club, reggae roots dance hall
LuLu's take on the tawdry collection? "I guess they want to convey the idea that Windows Vista is sexy . . . but not free."
I gotta admit, strip joints, a lesbian bar and a roots reggae dancehall, really not where I would expect people to be advertising an operating system: even if they are all in cyberspace.
