According to CNet, Second Life is going to start allowing individuals and corporations to lock up naming rights for a one-time + annual fee. I wonder how many people will take their RL name to safeguard it from others? Also, how will linden handle celebrity or trademarked names? Will Apple run out to register Apple Ipod as a name? Interesting one to watch.

I love how it provides an add’l revenue stream without changing the dynamics of the world in a hardcoded manner. (hardcoded = fundamental rules of play – i.e. pay more and you can run faster. Softcoded = social norms, status, etc – i.e. a class system emerges btw those who have ‘generic names’ and those who have ‘custom names.’)