A: Longer than you might think.

Quick answer: plan to spend 5-9 hours in world just learning how to operate your avatar controls and learn how to get around in world. You'll look and move like a newbie klutz until you've got this learning time under your belt, and most of the controls and features will usually be more confusing than helpful during these learning hours. Oh well! Complete the learning curve and you'll be glad you did.

Longer Answer:
There are few things about Second Life that make it a non-intuitive experience for most. For example, the camera through which you see the world moves right along with your avatar, but it is separate from your avatar. So in the cases when the two diverge - and your camera is in a different place than your avatar's eyes - it can be confusing. Also, since the same keys run your avatar and your camera, it can be completely frustrating when you are trying to move one and the other is moving and you don't know why or how.

And if you happen to be trying to run SL with a one-button mouse, whoooh boy, you are in for some real brain learning.

The various feature windows you have at your fingertips are much deeper than they first appear. The search window, for example, can do some really cool stuff, but you have to play with it to get to know how it works.

The build window is a completely confusing barrage of terminology and numbers when you first try to use it. I imagine that if I had years in CAD-CAM design software, I might have a chance. Basically, that's what the build system inside SL is: a complete CAD-CAM system where you can ainmate and script the objects after you build them. Wow. Cool. But complex at first!

Think of it this way: sure, virtual reality systems five or ten years from now will be easier to use (but probably have less functionality in some ways than SL offers). But if you put in your learning time now, you'll be a super-pro at the future metaverse systems. And I can tell you, five years from now, business meetings, training sessions, online classes, online shopping, concerts, and more will all be held in the metaverse. You'll be learning how to do it one way or another: you can do it now for fun, or do it later when you find it a new requirement for your job. Your choice.

Hey - it's not so bad. If you are curious and casual, those 9 hours of orientation learning can be fun. Be amazed at what you see in world. Shout out "Cool!" when you get something to work or master something. Have a good time.

Rememer when using a computer or surfing the web felt complicated and overhwhelming? Hey, you got through that, right? And now web surfing is like falling off a log. Same thing with SL. Dive in and have fun!

(PS - if you are someone that still thinks surfing the web is hard and complicated, don't even try Second Life. Seriously. No offense - but that would be like taking someone with their driving learner's permit to the race track and popping them in a formula one race car. Learn to drive well first, then curise on over to the fast & custom!)