One of those things is not like the others - the abstracted information and constructed envelope of a virus seems qualitatively different to me, since that structure doesn't depend on external factors for its basic coherence. +1 for mentioning Benard cells, did not know of those.
2) definitely life: animals, plants, fungi
3) self-replicating systems that stay far from equilibrium for a substantial time: hurricanes, fire, Benard cells, viruses