Virtual Search Really Vexing

Companies making introductions in Second Life are becoming frustrated with its search function, which is preventing residents from finding virtual-world entities of real-life businesses.

Second Life, the massive multiplayer online world, allows users to log on through the Internet and create 3-D computer-generated identities. These avatars are then free to explore the world that San Francisco-based Linden Lab has synthetically created.

Among the program's many features, residents are able to pull up a search feature to seek out events, destinations or other avatars. Some, however, are unimpressed with the function, believing it is limiting users in a limitless world. ...