Socially|Mundane

Note: I remind you this blog is officially and always has been officially 'classified' as R-rated. This is one of those posts. If you are easily offended, get the fuck out and leave now. ;)

It''s more than 180 days since Linen Lab flexed it's intellectual property rights with regard to it's trade marks, registered and unregistered and thus, the subject is creeping up again in a few areas, especially in one blog and a few others.

For those of you who have been with me for a long time, you know this blog used to be called SL Review. In fact, that version of this blog is still available, though it is inactive. I refuse to delete it. It's hosted on WordPress.com and once a blog is deleted, that name (on WordPress.com) is gone forever.

Now, I fully support Linden Lab's rights toward their trade marks and other intellectual properties and their right to defend them. I fully support their claims.

Except for one.

Linden Lab is trying to proclaim a trademark on the initials "SL" when they are used in any sense regarding a "virtual world". I disagree.

Therefore, I refuse to delete that blog. and I refuse to attach a ® or ™ near any version of "SL", including the term "inSL" unless I am using the artwork provided by Linden Lab, but otherwise: no.

Now, the reason I changed SL Review to Common Sensible did, in fact, stem from this S.N.A.F.U. by Linden Lab. I was about to purchase the domain name "slreview.com"and have it point here. And though I believe I am in the right with regard to the initials S and L, I didn't want to take a chance on legal action even though yes, I would invest the money to defend, I'm also not stupid.

There obviously is the chance I am totally wrong about it. So, I decided on Common Sensible and it also opens my blog up to commentary about other things, whether it deals with Second Life directly or not.

So, I purchased the domain, (of course there is a squatter on "commonsensible.com - so I took .net,) and applied it here. When I did that... the name change and domain, I thought it was a big enough change to go ahead and rearrange the look of the blog as well. Even though I loved the previous look of SL Review.

I have an itch.

I am bringing that old look back (Ta-da! You see it now!) More on this a little later.

To Linden Lab: I still believe you are wrong about the initials 'SL' and still refuse to attribute any rights to you with regard to any kind of ownership to those initials. Thus, I bite my thumb to you.

Fo those of you who aren't aware, biting one's thumb is the same as 'thumbing one's nose' at, or rather better known as: flipping the bird.

Now, I support Linden Lab employees. All of them, all the way from the janitor mopping floors all the way up to CEO "M" (sorry uncle Phil, you're on the board and the board doesn't matter to me in any way, even though you (the board) will ruin SL for all of us at some point soon.)

However, to the Linden Lab legal department, regarding your claim to the so-called 'trademark' known as "SL" and all your dumbfuck rules of adding verbs or pronouns or adjectives or conjunction-junctions and other bullshit to any mention of the words "Second Life"...

Kiss my ass. Fuck you. Shove it where the sun doesn't shine.

Not only am I waiting for a cease and desist letter, I'm begging for it. and when you send it, I'm going to throw it back into your face and tell you publicly to shove it up your ass.

Yes, I was hot and heavy back when this issue first came about. With it resurfacing, I am hot and heavy all over again. Yes, Linden Lab will likely just go to WordPress.com and demand a take-down and WordPress will likely comply and delete the SL Review site.

That's why all that material, comments included, have long-since been, moved here. So that if it happens, then I will toot my horn across the blogosphere and drop the hammer of bad public relations for Linden Lab legal department.

Now, Jeska, Torley, Katt, Robin and all you other Lindens that I know do come by and read this blog every once in a blue moon, I apologize to you each individually. I always have and still do support you. I know you are simply employees of a company you want to ensure is successful.

So I want to make it clear: my beef isn't with Linden Lab itself or its employees. My beef is with the legal department and specifically, their claim to any copyright or trademark ownership to the initials "SL".

There. Said it.

I feel better.

So, back to the look change. For all you regulars, please - give me feedback on my going back to the old look. If most of you don't like it, tell me and I'll put it back to the brighter, green and white theme I had before.

I like this look because it is not often-used amonf WordPress members and I am relying limited selection of the themes that are offered by WordPress.com because I am not hosting the files onmy own, and thus don't have access to the themes configuration area on the server. But more importantly to me, it presents a style and moxy I want this blog to convey.

However, I also recognize that you, the reader, are the ones who... well, read. Though I post my articles mostly for myself to vent or just ramble - (regulars know I'm good at that, right Cen?) - without you this blog is pretty much useless.

So, as I brace myself for those of you who ask "what the hell are you thinking?" - I'll wait patiently to hear from you. :-D