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While I was travelling, I popped into Best Buy and decided to get a new laptop - not really a big deal, really; I picked up a Gateway ML6720 for about $599 - plus tax, minus discount, whatever it was. I picked up a few other things while I was there, but the core of this entry is the ML6720.

Normally, when you buy a system you're supposed to make sure that it runs the software that you use. Normally. On this occasion, I knew the laptop ran everything except one thing: Second Life. I figured I would give it a go, see what happened... no dice.

It crashes after login. Every. Single. Time.

Laptops are pretty hit and miss with software that goes beyond the office - and yes, I could have gone with one of the other systems that had a known good graphics card when it comes to Second Life, but I'm an old penguin head: I'm used to drivers not being found when I install Linux, for video cards and modems. Still, Second Life is supposed to be pretty generic. I don't think I've reached a point with Second Life where I'll walk in and ask someone if the system I am interested in purchasing will run Second Life. I don't think I ever will. After all, Second Life on a mobile phone is a reality. I predicted it. I scooped it while most people writing about it now were thinking of how they would get to wherever for Thanksgiving.

So what's the deal? I'm not 100% sure, but I googled it and found VWR-2639. I read it. It said it was resolved, but... I see it with the new downloads today, too. I redid everything.

It crashes after login. Every. Single. Time.

I believe that the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 (256 MB) simply isn't supported. And I'm OK with that - less distraction on this machine, and I have another laptop that runs SL should I need it. Still - mobile phones are running Second Life, and I bet that they don't have nVidia or ATI cards shoved in there.

Maybe I should have bought a mobile phone instead. :-)

No, its not Linden Lab's fault - and there is probably very little they can do given the number of graphics cards, integrated motherboards, etc. But if you really *have* to run Second Life on a machine that you're buying - find out if it runs Second Life.

Seriously.

Meanwhile, it gets into other 3d environments just dandy. Another reason to explore. :-)