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TechCrunch reports that Linden Lab, creator of virtual world Second Life, has acquired Windward Mark Interactive, maker of an advanced atmospheric engine and cloud simulator, which will bring a much needed graphical improvement to the skies in the online world. Much needed, in the sense that, the visual realism of the online virtual world significantly lags that of comparable offerings like World of Warcraft; not in the sense that it answers any of the significant questions facing Second Life like currency conversion and valuation, ageplay, or long term profitability. [Original Image: Tim Bray]