How to Get the Fastest Frame Rate

Hardware

Don't worry, I'm not going to ask you to get a new computer. Unless your computer saves to cassette tape, starts with a motorcycle kick starter, or is a Mac, it's probably going to be acceptable for running Second Life. (boooooo) What? No Mac jokes? Wow, tough room. But you might want to look at adding RAM or upgrading your video card if your machine allows this.

RAM will allow your computer to load more of the program in advance, and a brand spanking new video card will take a lot of the load off your processor. Both can drastically increase your frame rate. But if you've got the cake, splurging on a fully loaded gaming PC is an option.

Optimization

The next step, optimization, is all about making sure that what you have is working the way it should. Defrag your hard drive so that all of the information is in the same place. A fragmented hard drive means your Second Life client is all spread out across your hard drive and your system has to skip around to find it all.

Make sure your wireless network is configured correctly, and plug in directly to your Internet with a cord if it's possible. The older your wireless network, the less likely it's as fast as an ethernet cable.

Make sure your system is free of viruses and spyware that could be lagging down your system by running your antivirus and spyware sweep. "Mac's don't get viruses!" Yeah, well, who'd bother. (Boooooooo) OK, OK, no more tweaking the Mac users.