'virtual-e' is a Second Life development company that provides a full design, build, project management and consultancy service to businesses and educators who want to use Second Life.

Second Life (SL) is similar to Facebook’s Farm Town application. However, it is far more sophisticated and being developed by software gurus Linden Labs. It was launched on 23rd June 2003 and is accessible through the Internet. A free downloadable program called the 'Second Life Viewer' enables its users or in Second Life, its residents to interact with each other through avatars. Residents can explore, meet other residents, socialize, participate in individual and group activities, and create and trade virtual property and services with one another, or travel throughout the world, which residents refer to as the grid.

The company’s Fife based Managing Director Pauline Randall (Liz Ferlinghetti in Second Life) prior to setting up virtual-e worked in Further Education. There, she advised academic staff on the value and use of technology in education in addition to managing the college virtual learning environment. Her career history covers a wide range of sectors from retail to management consultancy, all of which share a common theme of teaching, training and communication.

Pauline is frequently seen at conferences and seminars and will be speaking this year at the Future of Technology in Education 2009 – ULCC (University of London Conference Society) at the Royal Geographic Society, Exhibition Road, London and Regional Support Centre South East – University of Kent.

Projects include the launch of Second Life Business Park, a guide on how to manage meetings in Second Life, a second life for Westminster MPs, virtual island and many others. For more information see hwww.virtual-e.co.uk