Socially|Mundane

The new Second Life home page is now live. There are a lot of detractors from 'experts' all over the place. These people are experienced opinion-givers and opine on everything.

Okay, now hold-up - I am not slamming-down on these people. Their opinions are valued. But that's what I am saying: they are just opinions and we all have those. In fact, I'm throwing up mine right now.

I like the new home page. The previous home page, if I may now slip into typical cliches, is 'so 2004'. In fact it was boring and typical. When I say typical, I mean it looked like the typical corporate-style home page.

What helped it stand-out before were the wild and interesting images they used to show. However, as Linden lab works hard to streamline Second Life in the public perception, the tattooed, nose-pirced, scantily-clad vampire faerie with horns was a bit much as first impressions go.

Linden Lab needed something that grabs one's attention quickly. Something that is different from the typical corporate look, but yet had a 'gamer' feel. But yet, not a 'gamer' look, it still needs a touch of corporate feel.

A good tween style.

So the detractors complained about many things. Often was the complaint with a "ZOMG! A BLACK background! Black backgrounds are so (insert year here.)"

A good argument I did see was where it is mentioned that there is no focal point on the page. No specific element to grab your eye right off the bat and then steer you throughout the way most pages and advertisements are designed.

However, if you think about it, not having a specific focal point is more or less what second Life is about. You go in-world and you stand at an intersection with an infinite choice of directions, not any one more prominent than any other.

Everything is of equal interest at first. Then, as you explore and sim-hop and meet people and discover things, then your interests start to develop. Your interest piqued and the direction slowly reveals itself.

Stop and think about it: the new Second Life home page is really does reflect this. It breaks rules. Just like Second Life itself does.

Redesigned Second Life Homepage for new visitors going Live: "a redesigned home page for new visitors, those who have never logged in to Second Life. The goal of the new homepage is to show off the breadth and richness of the Second Life experience.  Test results show the new page performed well, so we’re going live this week.  For Second Life Residents, the current homepage will remain the same for now."

I am going to flow against the grain of nay-sayers and say I like it. In fact, because it breaks the rules, and is so (insert year here) is hat makes it different and interesting.

Look at the bright side: at least it's not ICQ, circa 1999.

via Official Second Life Blog