PostHeaderIcon Taxation & Second Life...Again

Sim-hopping from rhe mapI've mentioned it time and again: it's only a matter of time before the tax man cometh to hunt you down in Second Life or any other virtual world where you can convert your virtual earnings into legal tender.

And since when do the Canadians go about something and the United States doesn't shortly follow (or vice-versa for that matter)? Not so much in policy, but in some matters like taxation ideas.

Congress has already dabbled with Second Life when they had that silly 'virtual worlds' hearing and simulcast it is Second Life. That was them dipping their toes into the water to test temperatures.

The Euros already have tax people in Second Life snooping around, lurking, seeing how things are done. In fact, they already charge Value-Added Tax with regard to Second Life (VAT) - and the astonishing thing is if you are or have a business in Second Life, you can claim it!

So, the Euros are already there. Now the Canadian government is making it clear they intend to be. It's only a matter of time before the U.S. Government follows suit. They're just waiting for the right time, method and 'reason' to do so.

I try very hard to stay away from anything political here, but I do expend a congratulations to President Elect Obama. Unfortunately a large majority of those who voted for him did so for racial reasons, or to vote against McCain. There are actual polling data from Zogby that shows this.

No matter. Even though he ran on "change" but fills his administration with Clinton retreads, I wonder when his "spread the wealth" and "healthcare to everyone" policies will kick-in, and there simply being not enough money to finance these if that will be the catalyst to look for more tax revenues.

Tax revenues they have been itching to get there hands on for a few years. Namely: the Internet. But as controversial as that is, Second Life is a much easier target.

After all, there are people proclaiming to make a living through it.
The Chartered Institute of Taxation Returns to Second Life®: "You might think that what happens to your avatar in Second Life(r), or in any other virtual world, has no relevance to your real-life tax bill. You may be wrong, particularly if you are a UK resident, and especially if you are making money in-world in a systematic way."

courtesy of PR-CANADA.net

PostHeaderIcon "If you get to know me, then you'll know me"

[This is a story I wrote about almost a year ago. Fortunately, the subject matter isn't as prevalent in second Life as it was when it was first written, but it does still apply.

And it still occurs.

Unfortunately.

To celebrate the refreshing of Common Sensible, I am republishing this, which I feel is probably my most poignant of posts. And the message in this article is what "Common Sensible" is supposed to be about. —Ari]


******************************

There are a lot of reasons people choose not to use the voice ability built-into Second Life. However, there are those who tend to just start assuming things and the sad thing is they are likely miles off-target in most cases. What's worse is when they become insulting and rude about it. They can really be damaging, emotionally speaking, to some people for no good reason whatsoever.

They are part of that third camp.

The one almost all griefers and newbies are part of.

It would explain why newbies tend to just mow-down others in crowded places without thinking about it, or have no qualms about asking the girls if they 'wanna play?' and just plain being obnoxious. It also explains the whole griefer mentality.

Land of HopeThe 'common' understanding, albeit controversial, is that there are two camps in places like Second Life: the immersionist and the augmentationist. (Full essay about the concept here.)

But what about the third camp? What I would call the 'puppeteer'. Upon first entry into Second Life, I believe this is the 'persona' everyone will naturally assume at first blush, until they learn otherwise.

You see, the immersionist may be the serious role-player. Deeply entrenched into the fantasy world they choose to be a part of. And the augmentationist might simply see Second Life as an extension of themselves. And there also are those who actually mash-up the two in varying degrees (which I think most people do without even realizing it.) But what about that group who are almost, if not totally emotionally disconnected from the 'fictional cartoon character' they drive and control on the screen?

These are the people who simply cannot grasp the idea of attaching any emotion to their avatar. That's all it is on screen: just an 'avatar' - not even a representation of a real life human, and consequently cannot understand any emotion tied to any other 'avatar'. These are the people who insult others without even trying to. They don't understand there are times they could be really hurting someone in a far more profound way than they could possibly imagine.

Now, take the first two groups - immersionists and augmentationists and throw them into a room together. Mix in a few technologies. Oh! Let's start with Second Life voice...

Watch the sparks fly!

The immersionists would rather not use such a technology because it can ruin the immersion aspect of their experience. The augmentationist immediately assumes the immersionist, (possibly not realizing the immersionist is an immersionist to begin with,) is hiding something.

If the person in question is female in SL, that is - a female representation through their avatar, it is immediately assumed the real life person controlling this avatar is really a male or (on rarer occasions) vice-versa. All because 'she' refuses to use a microphone and allow herself to be heard. Some paranoids actually place in their profile: "Require voice verification for all females."

This is the most common accusation in this kind of scenario. However, I believe most augmentationists either really don't care or simply don't think much about it. The ones who seem to worry about most are the ones who tend to have at least one foot still in the puppeteer camp, in addition to looking for some kind of intimate relationship, temporary or not.

Now, let's throw the puppeteer into the mix.

The puppeteer also will usually fall into one of the other two camps by default. The difference is the world they see on screen is 100% synthetic and so are all its inhabitants. They tend to speak or do without thinking how it might affect other people. Why worry about what you say and to whom? These are only synthetic fictional characters, right? How can computer cartoons have any emotion or feelings?

There is a complete detachment from themselves and what is on-screen.

It would be akin to controlling a well-known fictional character, say Mickey Mouse, for example. You know you are not Mickey Mouse. In are simply controlling Mickey Mouse for him. There is not personal attachment to that character on-screen, because he's a friend - not any part of you.

So back to the question at hand: If the 'cartoon' is a female, why would the person controlling that 'puppet' refuse to use voice?

Unless... unless they want me to think they're female. Ahah! So that's it! You're really a DUDE! A dude playing a chick! EEEWWW GROSS! HAHAHA lulz.

Now... these puppeteers, who simply can't or won't choose to grasp the idea that the majority of people in SL actually do view their 'characters' on screen as some form of themselves, don't stop to think about the myriad of reasons why this character's 'operator' would choose not to use voice. Or a webcam. Or skype. or any other technology that could or would reveal their real life anything.

Random PortraitIt simply does not occur to them that the immersionist who may be a faerie elf simply does not sound or look too much like such a fantasy creature in real life and would probably like to maintain the illusion represented on screen.

Or that the augmentationist has had a harrowing experience in real life in the past that turned scary for real reasons... identity theft, stalking by a stranger/estranged relative or spouse/or other reason and so on.

No, they automatically assume that because it is a known practice, (though far less often than people think, I believe,) everyone who refuses to use the microphone whether they have the voice feature turned on or off simply must be a "guy in girls skin" trying to pull the wool over everyone else's eyes.

To those people, I say there are likely real reasons. Legitimate ones beyond the immersionist frame of mind. Even beyond the basic security reasons. There really are people in Second Life who are legally deaf and probably feel the voice feature is pretty useless to them at this point. And sure -- anyone can claim to be deaf and there probably are more than a few. Ever wonder why someone would lie about that? How about the very people we are talking about?

The 'voice-basher'?

Yes, there are guys in girl skin. So what? More power to them. Is it your intention to reach through the internet and actually mesh lips in a real life passionate tongue-swapping blissful french-kiss spit-exchange with them? Sheesh, get over it. Unless you are actually intending to take any kind of relationship out of Second Life into real life, it doesn't matter.

Just focus on what you see on your screen and go with the flow.

It's likely you've noticed Second Life is in the news a lot over the past couple years. In 2006 through the first part of 2007, it was over-hyped 'ZOMG SL IS AWESOME!' - then through most of 2007 it was completely the opposite. But, if you've been paying attention, there are a couple of human interest stories that flew-in low, under the radar.

They featured how Second Life is proving to be a huge benefit and rehabilitative option for those with practically any handicap. I've known this long before any of the news agencies even thought of reporting it. And I've known it works. First-hand.

There is a girl I want to tell you about. I know this girl in person, an acquaintance in real life. She's been in Second Life almost as long as I have. I won't bother giving her name here because she doesn't know I'm using her as my example to get a point across.

She's more or less an augmentationist, with a little immersionism thrown in. She refuses to talk about real life to strangers, and even to those she knows well, she gives nothing of identifying content. She absolutely refuses to use her microphone and if you earn enough of her trust to get her to send you a picture, the best you'll likely get is one that is two or more years old. Never, ever anything current. Her most recent self-portrait that she keeps in her profile is even almost two years old itself.

In real life she doesn't have a lot of friends.

Unfortunately, because she refuses to use the microphone, she tends to be somewhat of a loner in Second Life, too. You see, she is shy. She has tall walls put-up around her. She lets very few "inside" and so, making friends comes to be a bit more difficult.

She is shy because she is self-conscious over what you cannot see or hear or feel about her. And if you ask, she likely will not say or explain.

Unless you get to know her.

I know, an oxymoron, right? The point is to spend time with her, allow her to get to know you first. Build that trust and confidence and she eventually will open up to you. Aren't the best friendships in the world developed this way, without even trying?

In fact, it is stated in her profile: "In SL we all are beautiful and glamorous. In RL, I was beautiful just like you, once." Okay, it's pretty sad she feels this way. She's young, only in her 20's.

What you don't see is she was involved in an auto accident a while ago. A terrible one and almost lost her life only hours after that profile picture was taken. Many reconstructive surgeries and hospital visits later, she still struggles with her loss (her father, my friend), what happened and the emotional trauma of it all.

Cool Builds

I introduced her to Second Life while she was laid-up in the hospital, stuck in bed undergoing all the long and painful treatment back then. Second Life turned out then and to this day to be her escape from her "RL Hell" and has provided a way for she and I to stay loosely in touch with each other since then.

I recently chatted with her after a few months of not seeing her around. It turns out she had temporarily left SL. Her always flying so low under the radar, I noticed... but didn't really notice...and I know her in real life!

Among our other catching-up chit-chat, I asked her why she had left SL and for so long. It turns out that ever since voice has become so prevalent, she is constantly questioned why she isn't willing to use it when she has it active (typing instead of speaking with the microphone.) She chooses not to say.

Then, of course, she is immediately snickered-at, eyes-rolled-to and basically accused by insinuation that she is just another guy in girl's skin. She got tired of the insulting accusations about why she refuses to use voice. I also asked her why she returned, even though I already knew the answer.
"Because in SL I am beautiful again. I am normal and people can see the real me inside without all the distraction..."

You see, my friend's daughter had massive injuries. Broken collar bone and shoulder, broken neck, her skull was badly fractured. She's been undergoing facial reconstructive surgery off and on since then. A long, painful process. This is why she simply refuses any picture be taken of her over the last couple years. She sees her entire life as being ruined... her real life, that is.

In the accident, her throat was crushed. Speaking is difficult and painful. And when she does speak, beside the slurring, the synthetic reconstructive elements surgeons used make her voice sound "like a monster" (her own words.) She refuses to take a current picture or to speak on the microphone "because they are distractions that keep people from seeing and getting to know the real me."

So, my whole point is this: Second Life is so much more to other people than it might be to you and for completely different reasons you may never have even fathomed. In this girl's case, it makes her "whole and beautiful and normal" again.

Literally a second life.

And I suspect this is true for a lot more people than you or I might think.

If you run into her, and decide not to learn more about her and quickly cast her off as a guy-in-girl-skin all because your litmus test is whether she is willing to use voice or not... it will be your loss. You're the one who will be missing out on the friendship of a wonderful, funny, beautiful person.

And you, in your own shallowness, will simply become just another one who decided to judge a book by its cover and turn away from someone you'd really enjoy getting to know.

So, augmentationist, immersionist or even puppeteer: remember that everyone in SL is here for their own reasons. Some for simple fun, others for social reasons, others to simply experiment, explore, learn and so on. And though there are sometimes 'suspicious' reasons why so many choose to mention in their profiles that "SL and RL are and will always be separate" - and many reasons why someone might refuse to speak into a microphone, even if they have voice turned on, some of those reasons really are pretty legitimate.

Such as immersionism.

Being legally deaf.

Or because it's simply easier to be mute, rather than dealing with the "pain of hearing yourself".

Sometimes, they just want to be "beautiful and normal again."

The next time you see someone who isn't using voice, or perhaps has that little white dot over their head but always tends to use the keyboard and refuses to use the microphone... think outside the box for a change and remember... there are real reasons why this may be so.

And you may not even be close as to guessing why.

PostHeaderIcon A Common Sensible Move?

SunsetI have been a bad writer, writing a bad blog for almost a year now.

I remember researching the blog services and I am fully feature-knowledgable about WordPress software, WordPress.com, Blogger, TypePad, LifeJournal, and a truckload of others.

This blog: Common Sensible is currently hosted on WordPress.com.

I also maintain and host my own copies of WordPress blogging software for the company I work for. It can be some real maintenance. Constant updates to plug-ins and the WordPress software itself, but the features are second to none.

I don't go with TypePad or LiveJournal or any of the pay sites because I wouldn't even dare hope to try to make any money at this. How many ads would generate revenue when I have only five readers?

Anyway, the one single thing I hate about WordPress.com is the inability to fully customize the look of my blog. I do it for my own entertainment, hence the option to go wit a free-hosted service.

Even if O pay the $15 a year to have access to the CSS file - to change most of the look, I don't have access to the XHTML file. And that's what bothers me.

I'm a tinkerer. I like to break things and then fix them again.

So, between my two active (yes, I have dozens) blogs, I find I enjoy playing with Socially Mundane more. After a few months of looking at it all, I've come to realize a few things: it's easier for me to go hog-wild on the look. I already have other Google accounts - mail, Google Apps and so on.

It's just easier.

For me.

Blogger is way better than WordPress, but WordPress is way better than Blogger. They all are awesome. I just need to go with the one that is the mostest awesomenest for me. And I want a cleaner, classier, easier-to-read look, too.

I would say it has moxie and style, but four of my five readers will likely just call it "foo-foo-fluffy".

So, I have been slowly reposting everything from here at Common Sensible on WordPress to the new Common Sensible on Blogger. On Wednesday night, I am repointing my domain over to the blogger version.

This version will remain. and if you ever want to re-lookup some old comment someone has made, the WordPress address will be active: http://commonsensible.wordpress.com.

So, as I continue to repost old stories to the new Blogger version, I will intentionally repost one story as new - though it will clearly state it is a year-old story.

That story is called "If you get to know me, then you'll know me."

It's probably among the few stories where I think I actually did good. I certainly am not a professional writer and I can get pretty darned passionate about things. Though I always try to apply common sense into my perspective, hence this blog title. But I really am proud of that one. Probably because it hits close to home.

So, if you are reading this blog via newsfeeds (RSS) - you will want to pop-over to the new location on or after Thursday and re-subscribe. Well, I suspect that will be needed as I am not sure if that feed will break or not (I use FeedBurner). Of course the official address will still be http://commonsensible.net.

So, hopefully my writing will get better and more interesting the second year in.

PostHeaderIcon Dipshits On Parade

futtbugglyIt's ridiculously laughable, I say. This whole trademark on two letters of the modern Latin alphabet, specifically 'S' and 'L'. First, Linden Research, also known as Linden Lab claims trademark on the letters S and L as "SL" and demand that if these letters are used with any relation to a virtual world or Second Life specifically, it must have a space following and be followed by two generic nouns.

Bite me.

To Linden Lab: SL, SL, SL, SL! Wait, Slart, slart, SLart, SLART.

Oh wait, now I'll be sued by Richard Fink - I mean Mink becau... I mean Minsky... that I am using his trademark of SLART. I say 'fart' on you. And some poor guy is caught in the middle who did nothing more than create an art gallery in SL and... oops!

I mean, ...created an art gallery "within the virtual world of Second Life® also know as the SL™ virtual world whose owners Linden Lab®©™℠ have a real stick-up-their-ass®." [I am claiming trademark on that last bit. —Ari]

There. Enough 'generic nouns' for you, Linden Lab legal department?

Don't get me wrong here. I am completely splitting my gut laughing at all of this. I mean, really!

Come-on people. GTFU! Oh, sorry, that's "Grow The F*ck Up!"

Anyway, it's all completely laughable. Especially when you look at it sideways and see what Victor Keegan's perspective is on it. and for the record, I agree:
How an avatar on Second Life sparked a real-life court case: "Richard Minsky, an artist and publisher who also operates in Second Life, is suing Vezina, along with two directors of Linden Lab, owner of the virtual world, over use of the word 'SLART'.

Minsky obtained a US trademark in March 2008; Vezina had launched an art gallery called 'SLart' in Second Life early in 2007. Curiously the case may turn on something as simple as a space between the letters SL and art: literally much ado about nothing."


Linden Lab, Richard Minsky, and all the rest of you getting your panties in a bunch of two letters of the Latin alphabet:

Dipshits.

courtesy of guardian.co.uk

PostHeaderIcon Why Reuters Left Second Life,And How Linden Lab Can Fix It

Reuters Second LifeThis is kind of old news. I picked it up a few days ago, but wanted to wait for the talk-backs to start on the original blog I am referring to. It's a very, very good read because it give some serious insight into how commercial entities view Second Life and Linden Lab in general.

Eric Krangel, formerly of Reuters and in Second Life as an embedded Reuters reporter by the name of Eric Reuters sheds some light on why Reuters news agency pulled out of Second Life.

As with any commercial entity that jumps into Second Life, a pull-out is often quite covert and discreet. The main reason is they don't want embarrassment at being failures.

But when a commercial organization in SL pulls-out, is it really a failure? I'm not so sure that is always the appropriate word. For American Apparel, yes, it was indeed a failure. They jumped-in and had no idea what they were doing. It was the 'build it and they will come' attitude.

The problem is they actually thought their brand meant anything at all. But then there are those other companies who come in and do well. IBM, Cisco, even Microsoft have persistent presence in Second Life.

I have always been fascinated that Reuters was there. Not only were they 'there' inside Second Life with a presence, they also had two embedded reporters who reported on Second Life happenings all over the grid. One of those reporters is Eric Reuters, in real life: Eric Krangel, the other being Adam Reuters (Adam Pasick).

I read the Reuters Second Life news pages every day. I suppose I should have taken a hint when the reporting began to slow to a small stream, then a trickle, then at the speed of molasses.

Reuters was the only other source news from with in the Second Life grid and Linden Lab I ever took with any serious consideration besides Tateru Nino over at Massively. And when Massively went silent for a couple weeks a while ago, I figured all good, legitimate and authentic news coming out of Second Life and Linden lab would be more or less blah and totally spin-based hype.

So Eric Krangel has moved on and he speaks-up about the pseudo-mystery of Reuters departure from Second Life:



Exclusive: Why Reuters Left Second Life, And How Linden Lab Can Fix It: "So what happened? Is Second Life dying? No, but the buzz is gone. For all the sound and fury over recent price hikes and layoffs at Linden Lab, Second Life has a community of fanatically loyal users. Since Linden Lab derives its revenue from user fees, not advertisements, Second Life is much more likely to survive the Web 2.0 shakeout than most other startups.

It's hard to say what, if anything, Linden Lab can do to make Second Life appeal to a general audience. The very things that most appeal to Second Life's hardcore enthusiasts are either boring or creepy for most people: Spending hundreds of hours of effort to make insignificant amounts of money selling virtual clothes, experimenting with changing your gender or species, getting into random conversations with strangers from around the world, or having pseudo-nonymous sex (and let's not kid ourselves, sex is a huge draw into Second Life). As part of walking my 'beat,' I'd get invited by sources to virtual nightclubs, where I'd right-click the dancefloor to send my avatar gyrating as I sat at home at my computer. It was about as fun as watching paint dry."

courtesy of

PostHeaderIcon Socially Mundane Turns Commonly Sensible

SunsetI have been a bad writer, writing a bad blog for almost a year now. Well, two blogs: This and 'Common Sensible".

I remember researching the blog services and I am fully feature-knowledgable about WordPress software, WordPress.com, Blogger, TypePad, LifeJournal, and a truckload of others.

This blog: Socially Mundane is currently hosted on Google's Blogger.com and Common Sensible was (until this morning) hosted on WordPress.com

I also maintain and host my own copies of WordPress blogging software for the company I work for. It can be some real maintenance. Constant updates to plug-ins and the WordPress software itself, trouble-shooting and proving education and customer support for the users... but the features are second to none.

PostHeaderIcon Thank You "No-reply at Second Life dot com"

The 3D Finger
"Openspaces were made available for light use as countryside or ocean. Openspaces differ from normal regions in one particularly significant way; unlike normal regions that effectively get a CPU to themselves on the server, there can be up to four Openspaces on a single CPU, sharing the resource (hence them being "light use").

So Openspaces have been incredibly popular as a perk for estate owners, but sadly there is a twist - unfortunately most of the Openspaces are being used for much more than light use. Based on analysis performed in August and September, Openspaces are being used about twice as much as we expected, in other words being loaded with double the content/avatar load than we'd expect for a region that is supposed to be light use."


That's a small part of an email I received from Linden Lab. Whether it's address to all estate owners or only those who have at least one "Openspace" region, I don't know.

I haven't bothered reading the whole message. Hell, I even have a countdown timer here so you can see exactly when the first tier increase kicks-in. Anyway, if you don't own a private region (Openspace or otherwise) - this is what these rare emails look like - oh, and they only send them when it's bad news:

If you are already aware of the changes to Openspaces recently announced in the Linden Lab blog, please disregard this email.
In March of this year, we announced improvements to our light use land product that we call Openspaces. As a result we have seen tremendous demand for Openspaces - with many thousands of them being. We're delighted that so many of you have found them to be a useful addition to your estates.

Openspaces were made available for light use as countryside or ocean. Openspaces differ from normal regions in one particularly significant way; unlike normal regions that effectively get a CPU to themselves on the server, there can be up to four Openspaces on a single CPU, sharing the resource (hence them being "light use").

So Openspaces have been incredibly popular as a perk for estate owners, but sadly there is a twist - unfortunately most of the Openspaces are being used for much more than light use. Based on analysis performed in August and September, Openspaces are being used about twice as much as we expected, in other words being loaded with double the content/avatar load than we'd expect for a region that is supposed to be light use.

Rather than being employed as open areas like ocean with little or no content and traffic, the majority are being rented out to residents looking for a place to live and because they were never intended for that level of load this is causing problems. For some people this has meant a less than great experience with performance fluctuations. The overuse of Openspaces has also put additional strain on some of our core services at a much higher ratio than is reflected in the current pricing.

We need to therefore take some steps to improve their performance and better reflect their actual usage levels in our pricing so that we can maintain the best performance level for everyone. As a result, we will no longer offer an educational or non-profit discount for new Openspaces. As mentioned earlier, this is due to the increased back end resource required for us to support Openspaces in the way that they are now being used.

As announced by our CEO, Mark Kingdon on November 5th (http://blog.secondlife.com/2008/11/05/a-letter-to-second-life-residents/), we will be making some changes to the current products offered, starting January 5th, 2009.

All current Openspaces will be converted to the new "Homestead" islands as of January 5th. Prim limits will stay the same (3750 prims), a maximum of 20 avatars can be on the island at once, and some script limiting will likely be introduced. In January 2009 your billing will move to $95/month. In July 2009 next year it will move to $125/month. New Homesteads will have a setup fee of US$375.

If you are using your Openspace(s) for very low impact usage (park, ocean, occasional sailing events, etc), you can apply to opt out of the conversion to Homestead islands. These regions will have their prim limits lowered to 750 prims, and can hold a maximum of 10 avatars after January 5th. They will remain at US$75/month.

If you would like to convert your Openspace(s) to Full Regions, please open a support ticket to that effect at secondlife.com/support . 4 Openspaces equate to one Region, and we are not charging a conversion fee, at least until the pricing change comes into effect in January 2009. If you own less than 4 Openspaces you can make up the difference at $250 per Openspace (therefore if you own 2 Openspaces you can covert for the two Openspaces + USD$500). The current monthly fee for a Full Region will then apply.

Please see the Knowledgebase article here for more information: http://support.secondlife.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=4417&task=knowledge&questionID=5650

Please let us know if we can answer any of your questions by contacting Concierge support at http://secondlife.com/support.

Linden Lab Concierge Team

/me yawns.

PostHeaderIcon Introducing T Linden(aka 004 of MI6) in "Linden of Solace"

Sim-HoppingSo another blog entry on the Official Second Life blog introduces "T" Linden. As you may have gathered by now the single initial 'Linden" is the new fad akin of the first-name-only fad of the '80s and '90s you absolutely love to hate, like Madonna, Rosanne, Oprah.

Okay, so hating Oprah isn't really hating Oprah, it's more like hating the influence she has on wacked-out women all over the place. ~/sarcasm~

That is all beside the point. The point is, T Linden, why are you introducing yourself to us now? It's like you want all readers of the Second Life blog to be hiring you or something with you putting your impressive resume out there.

Oh, and T, for the record: I love Macromedia product. I hate Adobe products because Adobe is trying to do what Microsoft does - over-bloat good applications with so many useless or rarely used feaures that they are vastly piggish and more sluggish than they need to be. Which is why I will use Macromedia Dreamweaver and Fireworks until they just stop working. I refuse to upgrade to the Adobe Bloatware versions.

~ /me now wonders if this resume being put out there on the SL blog is really a sneaky heads-up from the top-shop and "M" that Second Life viewer will start to go the way of Adobe applications: to shit? ~

But this brings me back to your impressive resume being posted on the Second Life blog.

It's very simple, of course! The reason for your posting... it doesn't affect Second Life users in any meaningful way to know all these things. Sure, it might make some excited, but the Bondage Ranch in-world does that all by itself. No, there is a better, more useful reason for it.

It's intended for all the news media, (who can never get anything about Second Life right, except for Mitch Wagner of Information Week,) who need something they think is interesting to publish about Second Life and Linden Lab. I mean... the blog works even better than an official press release, because it makes those so-called journalists feel like they are making a 'scoop'!

Sweet.

Anyway, Welcome "T". Hopefully the acid-spitters won't throw their vitriol at you because the asset server is wonky right now. Because you posted on the SL blog, that means it's your fault you know.

Introducing T Linden (aka Tom Hale) « Official Second Life Blog: "From a software genetics point of view, I come from the graphics and multimedia space and spent most of my career at Macromedia, and later at Adobe.

I started in image editing, did a stint in 3D (remember Extreme3D? No? You are not alone), worked on web tools like Dreamweaver, Fireworks and Flash, helped to make Flash a platform for applications, voice and video, then built a collaboration and training application, called Breeze, on that platform. Along the way I learned a lot about how to involve communities in the development of the software they use."

courtesy of

PostHeaderIcon Google Lively: Alternative to Second Life

Isn't that what they all said?

Google Lively was supposed to be the Second Life-killer?
Google to Shut Down Lively Virtual World - Business Center - PC World: "Google will shut down Lively, its browser-based virtual world environment, by the end of December.

Launched in July, Lively is Google's alternative to Second Life and other virtual world environments."

(Via PC World.)


Need I say more?

PostHeaderIcon Sim Owners Are Masochist At heart

Concierge Party!  Woot!So, according to my totally unscientific poll, owning a sim in Second Life does sometimes suck. Probably a lot more often that even sim owners realize. The majority of people who voted either have a sim and agree it can be a pretty sucky proposition sometimes or they don't have a sim, don't want a sim, and have no intention of ever having a sim.

Fair enough.

There is a lot to owning a sim. But, as with many things, it a work of passion, though sometimes that passion tends to fizzle quite dramatically. So, for all of you who don't own a sim, but would like to, or have no interest in it, allow me to shed a little light...

First, the results:

PostHeaderIcon Second Life-Only Businesses Legitimized?

She works so damned hard...According to IP Watchdog: yes. Business in Second Life, and practically any virtual world is now legitimized.

Trademark law is really weird. I know the intended spirit of trademark law, I think we all do. The idea is to protect intellectual property rights with regard to commercial or 'business' identities. Things like logos, images, statements, tag line, business names.

It's no secret as readers of this and my other blog know: I am furious at the very idea that Linden Research, a.k.a. Linden Lab would proclaim "SL" to be a copyrighted and registered trademark, then require two nouns, adjectives, verbs or whatever the hell else to be used with it.

In short: Linden Lab, if you want to call "SL" a trademark, go for it. I'll even recognize it. But if you attached any kind of rules with regard to using it, (and I am not referring to a graphical representation, but rather the two alphabet letters side-by-side,) we'll have words.

PostHeaderIcon Second Life: Virtual World for Losers

MrBeanBabyWell, that's the case according to The Scotsman's "Scotland on Sunday" newspaper. And these so-called fourth estate print media wonder why they are losing readership and subscribers and advertisers?

Unlike the bonehead who'd never heard of the 'virtual world for losers', I have, in fact heard of Scotland, the real life country for losers. Yes, the whole country. And everyone in it, living there or not are all losers.

"Pug-ugly" losers as well.

Every last one of you. And you talk and dress funny, too. And some of that nasty,disgusting food you eat? Oh wow, don't let me go there at all.

I mean, even though I have never been to Scotland, or really read-up on Scotland history, but c'mon! I saw "Braveheart" and I know who Sean Connery is. And I've seen pictures of that foggy, cold, nasty, freaky perpetually gloomy weather there.

PostHeaderIcon Linden X-Prize: L$2,650,000

So the big hoopla large-sum prize and contest first announced way back when is now underway. It's not your typical contest. I liken it to the "X-Prize" - a super-high-tech invention contest for creating the first working public space...ship... or whatever.

This contest is a bit high-ended like that. it's not the kind of thing you can just look at and think to yourself "huh, I can do that. I think I'll have a go."

Okay, this is some real big-bucks. As much as half the amount many Second Life residents make in real life in a year. Obviously, Linden Lab, like all other big-bucks contest sponsors, is in this for their own good.

They are looking for that killer-application that will help catapult Second Life Grid technology into the forefront of telecommuting in business, home and any other which way you can think of.
Announcing the $10,000 Linden Prize « Official Second Life Blog: "The Linden Prize will award one Second Life Resident or team with $10,000 USD, paid in Linden dollars, for an innovative inworld project that improves the way people work, learn and communicate in their daily lives outside of the virtual world. The award is intended to align with Linden Lab’s company mission–to connect all people to an online world that advances the human condition."

This is something that will take some serious brain-power in creativity and the logistical / intellectual sense, and I truly wish "may the best team win."
courtesy of

PostHeaderIcon A Little House on the Prairie:Hello Inflation

Naoki's Park"M" releases his letter to the residents of Second Life regarding the whole Openspace issue.

Congratulations for seeing it my way. Yes, I am not the only person who saw it this way, there are many others. I say 'my way' only because I have previously blogged about this and suggested what Linden Lab if choosing to offer: a "tween" Openspace product that will be called Homesteads.

A Letter to Second Life Residents « Official Second Life Blog: "2. If you want more than an Openspace, we will offer you the choice of moving to a new product called Homesteads that is intended for light use such as low density rentals. For existing Openspace owners we will phase in the price increase for this new product over the next 6 months. Homesteads will also have technical limits for avatars and prims, and eventually script limits as well."


I have said time and again, the Lindens are just trying to run a business. A subscription-based one at that. Was the original announcement by Jack Linden designed to piss everyone off, just so that this announcement would sound sweeter than it is? I don't thinks so.

I genuinely believe the outcry has caused Linden Lab to reevaluate their options and the one they have come up with is most amicable and fair.
"* January 5, 2009 – non-compliant Openspaces will transition to Homesteads and the maintenance fees will go from $75 to $95 per month. We will offer an educational discount to qualified educators on the new Homestead product. The discount amount will be the same as Private Regions, roughly 30%.

"* July 2009 — the maintenance fees for Homesteads will go from $95 to $125 per month

"For detailed information on these changes, please go to the Knowledge Base."

I agree those that use Openspace sims the way Linden Lab originally intended shouldn't have to pay the price-hike. I myself have said I am willing to pay a higher price point, but one that is fair based on the way I use my own Openspace sim, which I would describe as "light residential" - practically the exact purpose of this new product called "Homesteads".

Now, I have myself been to some Openspace sims where the only way I could tell it was an Openspace sim was the HUD I wear - that warns me I am on an Openspace sim and so a lot of my scripts and avatar appearance might get screwed-up (and it does).

The thing is - those sims are slammed with prims and scripts and by sight alone: look like full sims, but when you go onto it: you die in lag - even if there is not another soul on it or any of the adjoining sims.

Thank you for what I feel is an amicable and begrudgingly acceptable solution, Linden Lab. However, the double price-hike is the reason I still will abandon my "Openspace" sim. Though I am well and good with the $95 tier point, I don't try to replace a full sim with an Openspace sim the way some people do.

Those are the ones who should be the larger fee, come June. Call it "Region Lite" or something. But it's definitely a heftier load than a "homestead".

And what's with M Linden always making his announcements and such on 'dark' days, like Halloween and the 13th of the month?
courtesy of Official Second Life Blog

PostHeaderIcon Openspace Sim Fee IncreasesFinance New Viewer Design

Okay - not really.
In my previous post, about the new viewer design by Big Spaceship, among other things, a reader calling themselves Dreamworld make a comment that is sarcastic, but understandably so:
Goodbye Second Life As We Know It? « Common|Sensible: "Dreamworld / 11.3.08 / 3pm
Yes a complete redesign for a viewer by a 3th party company must be rather expensive but I’m sure with the additional 67% extra tier fee income Linden will be able to cover that bill without much trouble. Something which can’t be said for the residents of Second Life who will have to come up with the extra large fee amount to pay for their island."

So, here is my reply to Dreamworld, which is long enough to simply make it a post all it's own:

Internet Map@Dreamworld: I get your point. Of course your comment in made in frustrated sarcasm, but it is understood and well-taken.

The real and main reason, in my opinion, for the Void sim fee increases is to maintain the economy. The economy is suffering because of those things. Too many people using Openspace sims and passing them off as full sims - even telling people they are full sims when they are not.

I know because I have a hud that warns me when I am on an open-space sim. it's amazing what some people are doing with these things.

So, what Jack Linden is claiming.. is true. But what he is not saying is that the move also is to help fix the economy, which is based in virtual land and Linden lab NEEDS the economy to be strong, or they will lose a lot of money.

People stop shopping and buying L$, merchants stop leasing their merchant booth at malls, Mall owners stop leasing the land from the sim owners, the sim owners can't make tier - abandon the sim (and sometimes move to an openspace sim) all comes down to linden Lab losing money.

So, why such a large increase in the fees? It is a buffer that allows Linden Lab to lose as much as about 40% of all the income from people abandoning their Openspace sims - and still continue to make the same money they are making today - as I write this.

Anything new from there on is icing on the cake and growth in the bottom line.

From a business sense: it's genius.

For all my thoughts on the Openspace scenario, visit my other blog at http://sociallymundane.com

To see the original post Dreamworld is replying to go here

PostHeaderIcon Drama, Second Life, and You

This is a guest article by Tiyuk Quellmalz for the 1st Annual SL Blogger's Mix and Match on the topic of "Correlation between Drama in SL and A Very Small Number of Brain Cells", coined by Cat Magellan.

(1) People who have zero braincells are widely regarded as either vegetables or artificial intelligence (such as computers).

(2) Have you ever had even a slightly dramatic incident with such a person? No? Didn't think so.

(3) People who have infinite braincells are widely regarded as either a supernatural being, like a deity, or Al Gore.

(4) Have you ever had a dramatic incident with such a person? Yes, of course you have. Otherwise all those braincells would be a terrible waste of space.

PostHeaderIcon SLOGS: Mix & Match and Match & Mix

Concierge Party!  Woot![Note: all links open in this window, so as you explore, you may prefer to right-click and choose "open in a new tab...or something.]

So today is the big day where guest bloggers from all over the Slogosphere [SL Blog community for those on my intellect level] have written articles to be posted on other Slogs based on subjects invented by yet other Sloggers.

It's called the Blogger Mix & Match.

So I decided to enter both my blogs: Common Sensible and this one, Socially Mundane. In return, I was assigned two subjects, and the blogs to submit them to.

The first subject was "Why Lindens who face the public get a bad wrap" - which was a fluke because I came up with that subject, it was supposed to be given to another blogger. But that's okay. That article can be found at Metaversally Speaking, here.

PostHeaderIcon The Immersiva of Bryn Oh

This is a special guest column as Common Sensible enthusiastically welcomes BOTGIRL and her creative and compelling story about the art of Bryn Oh.
**********

Bryn Oh

Bryn Oh is a Second LIfe artist whose holy grail is a state of deep viewer engagement she calls Immersiva. Bryn's art weaves together sculpture, graphics and text that can only be fully experienced through active interaction with the work.

For instance, the ramshackle tower she created for Rezzable's Black Swan Exhibition hides a tale of love and loss. The story is revealed through a series of poems discovered along the climb to the summit. The (virtually) physical journey through the tower is an essential dimension of the work that is not revealed to those who would jump to the peak. At the top, the final chapter unlocking the work's meaning is hidden in a secret chamber behind the blank face of a mechanical girl.

PostHeaderIcon Fasten Seat-belts » Rolling Restart ahead

/me yawns.

Okay - just so I post SOMETHING this week:
Second Life Grid Status Reports » Blog Archive » Rolling Restart Nov 12 and Nov 17-18 to deploy Server 1.25.0: "There will be a rolling restart this and next week to deploy server 1.25.0 to Second Life. We will follow the schedule below:

Wed., Nov. 12, 7pm-9pm : a pilot roll to ~3000 regions.
Mon., Nov. 17, 5am-9am : half of Second Life will be restarted
Tue., Nov. 18, 5am-9am : the remainder of Second Life will be restarted"


Fix list here:


Featurettes Batch #2 -- server-side support for many small changes and fixes to the viewer

Internal fixes to the machinery for determining login start location

Server release notes on the wiki

Camera fixes:
SVC-2049[c] : Camera zooms rapidly in and out (yo-yo, pogo) with objects behind you

Camera can be confused by archways

Havok/Physics fixes:

SVC-1179[c] : llPushObject applied to avatars is inconsistent

SVC-2511[c] : Serious Object-Avatar collision problems in 1.22.2
Moving a sitting avatar should follow object link rules

Cannot drop an attachment while sitting if the (0,0) parcel is full

SVC-2570[c] : Phantom Avatars - even when standing

SVC-2630[c] : No top collider info in region/estate tools

VWR-7198[c] : Inventory Loss after rezzing an coalesced object containing Linden plants and non-copy items in a place where not allowed to build trees

"View:Property Lines" and "View:Land Owners" shows everything as group owned even if it's not under 1.23.2.92647

SVC-578[c] : "save object back to object contents" no longer works

VWR-333[c] : "Unable to load gesture." or "Gesture is missing from database." on login

Home location icon on map can be changed without land access rights (at least on-screen, not in functionality

VWR-4067[c] : LLImageBase::resetLastError() (llimage.h) is not threadsafe under Linux (libstd++) and cause crashes sporadically

VWR-640[c] : Shift-drag to copy objects does not copy all settings

SVC-1467[c] : Getting permissions for scripts in child prims requires a dialog. Root prim does not.

Autoreturn can be circumvented by changing links in a script

VWR-4195[c] : Eject and Ban still available with Ban Access disabled in roles

Contents of duplicated objects do not change ownership

SVC-2925[c] : Instant Messages of certain lengths (object name + IM text) are not delivered with 1.24.1

SVC-1482[c] : add SHA1 function to LSL (llSHA1String)

Some simulator crash mode fixes

Internal Map server fixes


SVC-3207[c] : Click events are being discarded in Server 1.24.9
Server-side changes to allow objects to be restored to their last position (won't be fully available before client version 1.23)

Mono/scripting fixes:

SVC-3220[c] : Script Crash: System.Reflection.TargetParameterCountException

SVC-2975[c] : MONO - System.Reflection.TargetParameterCountException

SVC-1378[c] : Mono: NaN handling is strange

SVC-2631[c] : LSL multiline comments (Server Portion)

[Added 2008-10-31] SVC-3328[c] : mono script : bad calculated 100*0.9 ==> 89 !

Okay. so the real question is: do you even care?

courtesy of SLGrid Status

PostHeaderIcon $10,000 Linden "X-Prize"

So the big hoopla large-sum prize and contest first announced way back when is now underway. It's not your typical contest. I liken it to the "X-Prize" - a super-high-tech invention contest for creating the first working public space...ship... or whatever.

This contest is a bit high-ended like that. it's not the kind of thing you can just look at and think to yourself "huh, I can do that. I think I'll have a go."

Okay, this is some real big-bucks. As much as half the amount many Second Life residents make in real life in a year. Obviously, Linden Lab, like all other big-bucks contest sponsors, is in this for their own good.

They are looking for that killer-application that will help catapult Second Life Grid technology into the forefront of telecommuting in business, home and any other which way you can think of.
Announcing the $10,000 Linden Prize « Official Second Life Blog: "The Linden Prize will award one Second Life Resident or team with $10,000 USD, paid in Linden dollars, for an innovative inworld project that improves the way people work, learn and communicate in their daily lives outside of the virtual world. The award is intended to align with Linden Lab’s company mission–to connect all people to an online world that advances the human condition."

This is something that will take some serious brain-power in creativity and the logistical / intellectual sense, and I truly wish "may the best team win."
courtesy of

PostHeaderIcon Sometimes Owning a Second Life Sim...Sucks.

Cool BuildsNo, this isn't about the Openspace sim controversy. It's about just plain owning sims at all. Any sim. Full sim, Openspace sim. Mainland sim, anything, whatever else there is.

I guess, I should clarify and say "leasing" a sim. Well, when you own a "region" you aren't even leasing it. It's not even really "hosting" the way some people put it, because Linden Lab aren't hosting our creations.

Well, they are, but even though the creations are ours, they are stuck within Second Life, so... they really aren't ours, are they? Only the creative design.

Things that make you go 'hmmmm.'

Okay, so there is a whole industry related to sim... well, region ownership. I shouldn't say "sim" because it's one region to a "CPU" - but four CPUs to a server, so it's really just a quarter of a "sim", isn't it?

So there is a complete industry that has grown-up around region ownership. And the "sucky" part of owning a region and really shone a light on this industry for me.

Okay, before I really confuse the hell out of you, including myself, I'll start-over... this way:

I own three regions. Two full sims and one Openspace (a.k.a. 'void') sim. The first I've had for a year. It was always a residential/commercial sim and I sold parcels on it. The old "buy land from me here on a clean, class 5 sim instead of the laggy, ugly mainland" model.

It went well for a long time... until real world gasoline prices started to skyrocket and RL discretional funds for a lot of people started drying-up. Then Linden Lab started selling these 'void' sims and the bottom of whatever virtual real estate market that was left...completely fell out. But, that's all beside the point I want to make here.

In this process, I also started a themed role playing sim. That's the second full sim I own. It has a market and the role players know they need to help raise the tier each month. That means traffic so the merchants will want to be there, and their market leases help pay the sim tier. A simple model, really.

Eventually, there were some who wanted to add a void sim, so we could have more space. It was added and thus, now I own and manage and am responsible for: three sims and their tiers.

Linden Lab announces the rise in tiers for the void. I don't care, I'll abandon it in the blink of an eye because I really don't care about it. The residential/commericial sim I would hate to lose, but I would dump that one, too if it came down to it and only stick with the themed sim. When I say 'dump' I mean abandon. I might give a go at selling it or even giving it away for the transfer cost, but I won't bat an eye at just abandoning it. And I've already checked the knowledge on the process for doing that. It's not very difficult at all.

So, the role playing traffic (bodies on the sim, not the traffic measurement) has been waning lately. Well, at least during the hours I'm there. Apparently it is popular with a lot of Euros who are there late aat night and early in the morning when I'm not there. However, for those other times, it's not much fun to go to a themed role play sim and there is no one there to role play against you.

So I start shopping for event tools to set-up events and a treasure-hunt that will work off the role play in the hope to get more bodies appearing during these lull-times. And this is where I discover this huge industry. It's amazing, the amount of gadgets targeted at sim-owners. A lot of which are either useless or way over-priced.

Gawd I hate shopping SL Exchange and OnRez if only for the really crappy way people advertise their stuff. Not enough (or zero) information. No SLURLS to visit in-world and so on.

A huge chunk of the selection has a lot to do with camping and traffic measurements. Wow. Wow as in: figures.

But what I really wanted to say is this: owning a sim is actually a lot of work! I am often out of role-play character to handle sim issues and management - read market (merchant) support and drama. I rarely have time to role play the very theme I have set my sim up to support. I rarely get to goof-off and just sim-hop or otherwise explore Second Life as I always am on my sims either trying to manage them or support the role play. Second Life isn't as much fun anymore. At least, not the carefree, happy-go-lucky frivolous kind of fun I remember so fondly.

It's one of the reasons I like to read Torley's blog a lot. It cheers me up and reminds me it's okay to just have stupid fun sometimes.

Like...just switching into my dragon avatar and fly around wowing newbies, or crashing parties, or just plain old sight-seeing and exploring.

Yes, there are many other uses for sims, so owning a sim doesn't always suck. But if you run a themed sim, there are a lot of stresses that go with it, not the least of which is 'drama' from 'resident citizens' and 'tier fear' is always on your mind.

I know, I know... "why did you buy one then?" Perhaps it's that whole 'grass is greener' thing. We all kind of dream what we would do with a sim if we owned one, right? At least a little?

So, I really wish Tateru Nino at Massively ran polls sometimes. She has millions of readers compared to my five. Even though I rarely ever almost never run polls, I feel this would be a good one simply because "private regions" are in the news and on everyone's minds.

Now, in my poll - it doesn't matter what kind of sim - all are the same. A full "region". So the poll options are straight forward and simple.
  • You own a sim and it sometimes sucks to own it?
  • You own a sim and it never sucks to own it?
  • You do not own a sim, but would like to
  • You don't own a sim and have no interest to do so
I'm curious to what you think.

PostHeaderIcon Say Hello to "A Little House On The Prairie"

"M" releases his letter to the residents of Second Life regarding the whole Openspace issue.

Congratulations for see it my way. Yes, I am not the only person who saw it this way, there are many others. I say 'my way' only because I have previously blogged about this and suggested what Linden Lab if choosing to offer: a "tween" Openspace product that will be called Homesteads.
A Letter to Second Life Residents « Official Second Life Blog: "2. If you want more than an Openspace, we will offer you the choice of moving to a new product called Homesteads that is intended for light use such as low density rentals. For existing Openspace owners we will phase in the price increase for this new product over the next 6 months. Homesteads will also have technical limits for avatars and prims, and eventually script limits as well."

This post is also cross-posted to Common Sensible.

I have said time and again, the Lindens are just trying to run a business. A subscription-based one at that.

Was the original announcement by Jack Linden designed to piss everyone off, just so that this announcement would sound sweeter than it is? I don't thinks so.

I genuinely believe the outcry has caused Linden Lab to reevaluate their options and the one they have come up with is most amicable and fair.
"* January 5, 2009 – non-compliant Openspaces will transition to Homesteads and the maintenance fees will go from $75 to $95 per month. We will offer an educational discount to qualified educators on the new Homestead product. The discount amount will be the same as Private Regions, roughly 30%.

"* July 2009 — the maintenance fees for Homesteads will go from $95 to $125 per month

"For detailed information on these changes, please go to the Knowledge Base."

I agree those that use Openspace sims the way Linden Lab originally intended shouldn't have to pay the price-hike. I myself have said I am willing to pay a higher price point, but one that is fair based oon the way I use my own Openspace sim, which I would describe as "light residential" - practically the exact purpose of this new product called "Homesteads".

Now, I have myself been to some Openspace sims where the only way I could tell it was an Openspace sim was the hud I wear - that warns me I am on an Openspace sim and so a lot of my scripts and avatar appearance might get screwed-up (and it does).

The thing is - those sims are slammed with prims and scripts and by sight alone: look like full sims, but when you go onto it: you die in lag - even if there is not another should on it or any of the adjoining sims.

Thank you for what I feel is an amicable and completely acceptable solution, Linden Lab.
courtesy of Official Second Life Blog

PostHeaderIcon Mark Kingdon And The Openspaces Rebellion

Sim-HoppingSo Hamlet Au posted the results of an interview - telephone interview with Mark Kingdon, CEO of Linden Lab (no trademark inserted here).

Could there be any question as to why he was fingered for the job? A sample question and answer:
Q: In retrospect, would you have done anything different with this Openspaces policy?:

'One of the things I want to be thinking about is how we get a more continuous dialog going with Residents, because one of the challenges is that we have such a large and diverse population... we're too large to have conversations Resident by Resident... when you get to a certain size (and we're still a small company) how do you put in place some approaches and processes that enable us to have a thoughtful dialog with our user base?'"

Wow, M Linden: you should run for president. That spin is so good, I almost completely missed how you totally and completely avoided answering the question.

No sarcasm here. I'm serious. I'm impressed. Good for you.
To be fair, about half the questions were actually answered. Answerred in a round-about way and not enirely satisfactorily for my own tastes - lots of spin in there, but also to be fair, it was a telephone interview and that's why I'm impressed with the spin.

It takes a lot of political practice to be able to so effortlessly spin answers so well on the fly. Read the whole report over at the source, which is...
courtesy of New World Notes

PostHeaderIcon Openspace Sim Fee Increases Finance New Viewer Design

Okay - not really.
In my previous post, about the new viewer design by Big Spaceship, among other things, a reader calling themselves Dreamworld make a comment that is sarcastic, but understandably so:
Goodbye Second Life As We Know It? « Common|Sensible: "Dreamworld / 11.3.08 / 3pm
Yes a complete redesign for a viewer by a 3th party company must be rather expensive but I’m sure with the additional 67% extra tier fee income Linden will be able to cover that bill without much trouble. Something which can’t be said for the residents of Second Life who will have to come up with the extra large fee amount to pay for their island."

So, here is my reply to Dreamworld, which is long enough to simply make it a post all it's own:

Internet Map@Dreamworld
I get your point. Of course your comment in made in frustrated sarcasm, but it is understood and well-taken.

The real and main reason, in my opinion, for the Void sim fee increases is to maintain the economy. The economy is suffering because of those things. Too many people using Openspace sims and passing them off as full sims - even telling people they are full sims when they are not.

I know because I have a hud that warns me when I am on an open-space sim. it's amazing what some people are doing with these things.

So, what Jack Linden is claiming.. is true. But what he is not saying is that the move also is to help fix the economy, which is based in virtual land and Linden lab NEEDS the economy to be strong, or they will lose a lot of money.

People stop shopping and buying L$, merchants stop leasing their merchant booth at malls, Mall owners stop leasing the land from the sim owners, the sim owners can't make tier - abandon the sim (and sometimes move to an openspace sim) all comes down to linden Lab losing money.

So, why such a large increase in the fees? It is a buffer that allows Linden Lab to lose as much as about 40% of all the income from people abandoning their Openspace sims - and still continue to make the same money they are making today - as I write this.

Anything new from there on is icing on the cake and growth in the bottom line.

From a business sense: it's genius.

For all my thoughts on the Openspace scenario, visit my other blog at http://sociallymundane.com

To see the original post Dreamworld is replying to go here

PostHeaderIcon Goodbye Second Life As We Know It?

Possibly. The "as we know it" has to do with the way we know it. The viewer interface...among other things. The biggest thing I can't stand about Microsoft Windows is how Microsoft keeps thinking it screwed it up last time, so they reinvent the whole damned interface for the next time. It's frustrating as hell.

Prokofy Neva brought this whole Big Spaceship thing to my attention. Not personally, but through Second Thoughts.

Well, now the Lindens have officially announce it. It's still a pretty big deal to linden Lab to get that first-user retention up. It's currently something to the effect of one in ten. On a good day.

Prok mentioned, well... surmised that the interface to the trusty old Linden Lab officially viewer will be redesigned. Dumbed-down. Made idiot-friendly.

Okay, fair enough. But what about the current User Interface on the Current viewer (as of this writing) - will that still be available at all?

I certainly hope so. Though who knows. The Second Life blog says...
Transforming the Second Life Experience « Official Second Life Blog: "Q: What is Big Spaceship doing for Second Life?
A: Big Spaceship will be working with internal teams at Linden Lab to research, design, prototype and test web sites and user interfaces that dramatically lower the learning curve for experiencing Second Life. Big Spaceship will employ a user-centered design methodology to develop innovative solutions for streamlining the complexity of Second Life without limiting the freedom and expressiveness that makes Second Life so powerful for so many people."

(Emphasis is mine.)

So, expect new interface designs to come flying out. Hopefully, they won't reduce everyone to the lowest common denominator: the newbie who knows nothing at all.
courtesy of Official Second Life Blog

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