About SLOGBASE
WHAT IT IS
Slogbase is a lightweight database attached to objects in Second Life™ that provides the same functionality as Apache Web server logs. It uses ordinary LSL code in Second Life to send sensor data to an external PHP/MySQL application.
WHY WE BUILT IT
We live by the motto that if you can't measure it, you don't know if it's right. Having built Web applications for more than 10 years, we've come to appreciate the power of the simple measurement techniques that come with Apache and other Web servers. So, we built an equivalent for Second Life.
HOW IT WORKS
In-world, one or more beacons run an endless sensor cycle. Every 60 seconds, the beacons look for all avatars within a given radius. The LSL system sets a maximum range of 96 meters, although you may find smaller ranges to be useful. The beacon gathers the name and position of each avatar detected and sends this information out of Second Life to the Slogbase server.
Ordinarily, avatars are unaware of being detected by an LSL script and it will not intrude on their experience of Second Life. As a courtesy, we have crafted Slogbase to keep track of whether an avatar has been detected before. The LSL script in-world may send an instant message to the avatar to let them know they are being tracked. This is not usual practice in Web server logging nor in similar devices in Second Life, but we want to make it easy for privacy-conscious communities to warn each other about data collection.
On the server side, Slogbase stores the collected data in a MySQL database. Each data record has a timestamp and is associated with a particular account. As a user, you may have one or more accounts which you may share with other users to which you give specific permission. Without permission, you may not see data from any other account.
HOW YOU CAN USE IT
Slogbase allows you to download your entire dataset. You can use this data in several interesting ways. You can easily count unique visitors. You know their exact identity in Second Life (not their "real life" identity) so you can send them a message. You might send a thank-you message to first-time visitors. Be careful, though. People usually don't appreciate thoughtless, unsolicited messages.
Because you have data on where people are, you can analyze their use of your land. You can trace their paths and match them against your intended paths. If everyone cuts across the grass to get to the fountain, perhaps it's time to move the path.
Slogbase provides an RSS feed of the most recent visitors. You can monitor this feed and send an alert to yourself when a new visitor arrives, similar to the bell that rings when a customer walks in the door of a real-life shop. This could provide a superior customer experience.
MORE INFORMATION
Clear Night Sky is the official Clear Ink blog, and we often write about marketing and Second Life.
Services for managing the project are provided by SourceForge.
Screenshots
Try it NOW
Clear Ink are experts in defining metrics for measuring the performance of marketing activities in the advancement of your goals. We have a Second Life analytics practice ready to go.