I Would Pay L$ or even REAL $ for a last name!

[Brayla Ravenhurst]

Dearest Lindens:

 

Look.  This is something the community wants  - the ability to have a last name on "newer" characters.  This is an opportunity that thus far as a company (who wants to make money, I presume) you all have squandered.  You could develop last name reimplementation - and charge for it.  

Normally, I wouldn't suggest such a thing - but sometimes I feel as though developments that are not fixing world-braking bugs need profit potential in order to get done.  you could charge like $500 linden or require permium membership in order to get or change a last name.  Thoughts?

[Brayla Ravenhurst]

Dearest Lindens:

 

Look.  This is something the community wants  - the ability to have a last name on "newer" characters.  This is an opportunity that thus far as a company (who wants to make money, I presume) you all have squandered.  You could develop last name reimplementation - and charge for it.  

Normally, I wouldn't suggest such a thing - but sometimes I feel as though developments that are not fixing world-braking bugs need profit potential in order to get done.  you could charge like $500 linden or require permium membership in order to get or change a last name.  Thoughts?

[KarenMichelle Lane]

It's not going to happen. Sigh.

[Amethyst Jetaime]

Are you sure?

At one time you could 'buy' a last name for your use and for the use of other avatars associated with you.   The reason for the request had to meet certain criteria, such as for business reasons or you were a RL celebrity and wanted to have your avatar have your RL name.. They didn't change the name on your account, you got a new avatar.   The fee?  $1000 US billed annually for as long as the last name was used by an active account. 

So get rich and famous in RL or start a company and grow it into a big brand name with deep pockets and perhaps you could still buy a special name.  Its been years since I've seen this done though, so maybe they don't allow it anymore or maybe no one is interested in paying such a large fee.

A display name is a much cheaper alternative since it is free.

[Teagan Tobias]

Addressing a Linden here is like talking to a brick wall.

The sad part is that first and last names could be added to the sigh up page so easily. All LL needs to do is make it so one space can be added to the user name, not the first letter or the last and only one space. You now have the illusion of a two name account with what is actually a one name account. But seeing it you would never be able to tell the difference (I don't think). Easy to put into practice and as far as I know would not effect things like lucky chairs and the like, they use first character of single and double name user names.

I think part of the single name sing up was to do with people not spending enough time picking a name and leaving the sign up page. (they most likely would not stay in SL anyway so why bother with them) Also something to do with the database running out of room, or something like that, I'm not sure about that one but do remember something about that being said.

[Qie Niangao]

---

Teagan Tobias wrote:

Addressing a Linden here is like talking to a brick wall.

---

Quite. So let me just say:

Rod really is kind of a dope.

He was so easily bamboozled into believing some tech manager's muddled mumblings about why they couldn't restore two-name account creation, despite having created two-name accounts for years, and despite still needing to support two-name accounts everywhere.

If this were an isolated case, it might be understandable: Rod has a business to run with non-SL distractions, so he's permitted to so obviously drop the ball -- but not every time he touches it!  

• Remember the great Jira castration; that was on his watch, too, and another case of believing some underling's absolute nonsense.  
• And more currently, we have the ToS custerfluck, where again Rod has been led down a primrose path by an incompetent employee (this time a lawyer).

Really, if Rod doesn't have time to manage SL anymore, that's fine, but he's gotta find somebody competent to do it for him, and not just take unexamined the judgments of lazy, stubborn, and immature Battery Street stumblebums lucky to have a place to come in out of the sun.

(Gee, I'm glad we can count on the Lindens to never look here.)

[Venus Petrov]

There used to be a website or two where one could register an avatar with a proper surname/last name.  I do not know if they still operate.  I am sure if someone knows about them, they will add links here.

I emphathize with residents who want to have a last name.  Some of the usernames are nonsensical and oftentimes new residents do not know how to create a display name (or even what one is). 

[Tex Monday]

I'm all for restoring last names, I think it makes more sense than having everyone be "resident". Unfortunately, as you have discovered, this is not the place to do it. So I am proposing this...

A massive letter writing campaign! Not email, not forum posts...LETTERS!

Everyone who wants to should write to LL (Linden Lab Headquarters 945 Battery Street San Francisco, CA 94111) and ask them to change. We know the LIndens don't read the forums..never have. They have moderators to look at things, but I don't believe concerns ever get reported back to LL.

What's the worst that can happen? You waste 20 minutes and a postage stamp.

What's the best that can happen? Maybe..just maybe..someone might look at all the letters and reconsider.

Who knows, right???

[Brayla Ravenhurst]

---

Amethyst Jetaime wrote:

Are you sure?

At one time you could 'buy' a last name for your use and for the use of other avatars associated with you.   The reason for the request had to meet certain criteria, such as for business reasons or you were a RL celebrity and wanted to have your avatar have your RL name.. They didn't change the name on your account, you got a new avatar.   The fee?  $1000 US

billed annually

for as long as the last name was used by an active account. 

So get rich and famous in RL or start a company and grow it into a big brand name with deep pockets and perhaps you could still buy a special name.  Its been years since I've seen this done though, so maybe they don't allow it anymore or maybe no one is interested in paying such a large fee.

A display name is a much cheaper alternative since it is free.

---

Like I said, squandered opportunity.  Make it so expensive that no one wants it

I use my "display name."  Unfortunately, about 90% of SL's scripts and everything else that attempts to call me by name calls me "Braylasana Resident" and not my "display name."  It's practically useless (which is probably why it's free.)

[Czari Zenovka]

---

braylasana wrote:

 

Look.  This is something the community wants  - the ability to have a last name on "newer" characters. 

---

Ironically, LL tried to convice us that new people signing up for SL were not completing the registration process due to having to take time to choose from a list of surnames, thus LL losing an untold number of new residents.  I never believed that argument for a second. 

I do wish LL would provide some opportunity for surnames again but I too don't think it's going to happen.

[Czari Zenovka]

---

Qie Niangao wrote:

---

Teagan Tobias wrote:

Addressing a Linden here is like talking to a brick wall.

---

Quite. So let me just say:

Rod really is kind of a dope.

He was so easily bamboozled into believing some tech manager's muddled mumblings about why they couldn't restore two-name account creation, despite having created two-name accounts for years, and despite still needing to support two-name accounts everywhere.

If this were an isolated case, it might be understandable: Rod has a business to run with non-SL distractions, so he's permitted to so obviously drop the ball --

but not every time he touches it!

 

• Remember the great Jira castration; that was on his watch, too, and another case of believing some underling's absolute nonsense.  
• And more currently, we have the ToS custerfluck, where again Rod has been led down a primrose path by an incompetent employee (this time a lawyer).

Really, if Rod doesn't have time to manage SL anymore, that's fine, but he's gotta find somebody competent to do it for him, and not just take unexamined the judgments of lazy, stubborn, and immature Battery Street stumblebums lucky to have a place to come in out of the sun.

(Gee, I'm glad we can count on the Lindens to never look here.)

---

THANK YOU, Qie!  I lost any semblance of respect I had for Rod after reading this article, especially the fourth paragraph.  I've taken a lot of heat for the inferences I've drawn from that as it applies to various "features" LL has introduced since Rod became CEO but, as time goes on, some people who initially disagreed with me are starting to say, "You may not have been far off on your estimations."

[Perrie Juran]

---

Venus Petrov wrote:

There used to be a website or two where one could register an avatar with a proper surname/last name.  I do not know if they still operate.  I am sure if someone knows about them, they will add links here.

I emphathize with residents who want to have a last name.  Some of the usernames are nonsensical and oftentimes new residents do not know how to create a display name (or even what one is). 

---

After Display names went live and the ability to choose a last name was removed from SL's website you were still able for several months to set up an account witha surname through some of the educational portals.  I believe it was around April 2011 that this ended. 

[Czari Zenovka]

---

Venus Petrov wrote:

There used to be a website or two where one could register an avatar with a proper surname/last name.  I do not know if they still operate.  I am sure if someone knows about them, they will add links here.

 

---

Ooooo, that reminded me that I introduced a friend to SL in December 2011 who really wanted a surname and I recalled I had read about a few places off the beaten path where one could still get last names.  After asking a friend of mine who keeps up with that type of thing, I was provided with three web portals.  I just found those and tried them - two are now blank pages and one is in Japanese.  After translation it no longer appears a surname is offered there either.

ETA: After reading Perrie's post, just wanted to clarify that my friend indeed was able to obtain a last name via one of the three portals at that time.  They must have been removed soon after.

[Sommerland Starostin]

So many peeps were complaining about choosing their own last name instead of one from the Linden generated list that the Lindens came up with the bright idea of the Resident last name with the ability to have your own screen name which is a TERRIBLE idea.  I'd really like to know who came up with that one lol. You can choose your own names in Inworldz, Not sure why you can't do that for SL. But I liked the Linden generated last names, now people want them back. Too late, screwed now lol.

[Pie Serendipity]

---

braylasana wrote:

Dearest Lindens:

 

Look.  This is something the community wants  - the ability to have a last name on "newer" characters.  This is an opportunity that thus far as a company (who wants to make money, I presume) you all have squandered.  You could develop last name reimplementation - and charge for it.  

Normally, I wouldn't suggest such a thing - but sometimes I feel as though developments that are not fixing world-braking bugs need profit potential in order to get done.  you could charge like $500 linden or require permium membership in order to get or change a last name.  Thoughts?

---

If anybody is really desperate I have a few spare avatars, complete with last names, in "storage" that a high enough offer might tempt me to sell...

ETA You may not be able to use them to post to these forums though.

[Storm Clarence]

---

Pie Serendipity wrote:

....

ETA You may not be able to use them to post to these forums though.

---

I roared when I read your caveat emptor!

[Perrie Juran]

---

Pie Serendipity wrote:

---

braylasana wrote:

Dearest Lindens:

 

Look.  This is something the community wants  - the ability to have a last name on "newer" characters.  This is an opportunity that thus far as a company (who wants to make money, I presume) you all have squandered.  You could develop last name reimplementation - and charge for it.  

Normally, I wouldn't suggest such a thing - but sometimes I feel as though developments that are not fixing world-braking bugs need profit potential in order to get done.  you could charge like $500 linden or require permium membership in order to get or change a last name.  Thoughts?

---

If anybody is really desperate I have a few spare avatars, complete with last names, in "storage" that a high enough offer might tempt me to sell...

ETA You may not be able to use them to post to these forums though.

---

You could also, if LL were able to track down your where-abouts, be  held accountable for any thing done with those accounts. 

[Pie Serendipity]

---

Perrie Juran wrote:

---

You could also, if LL were able to track down your where-abouts, be  held accountable for any thing done with those accounts. 

---

Homeland Security and the IRS have been trying to determine my whereabouts for as long as I have had an SL account, and nobody has come knocking on my door yet, so I am not too worried about LL; hell, not only can't they stop a bunch of amateur subcontinental spammers, it took them half a lifetime to put a stop to Wasted, and he published his home phone number on his website.

ETA: Do you really think somebody else could behave more badly than I have?

[steph Arnott]

The ship left port and sank. It will not change LL have said.

[Perrie Juran]

---

Pie Serendipity wrote:

---

Perrie Juran wrote:

---

You could also, if LL were able to track down your where-abouts, be  held accountable for any thing done with those accounts. 

---

Homeland Security and the IRS have been trying to determine my whereabouts for as long as I have had an SL account, and nobody has come knocking on my door yet, so I am not too worried about LL; hell, not only can't they stop a bunch of amateur subcontinental spammers, it took them half a lifetime to put a stop to Wasted, and he published his home phone number on his website.

ETA: Do you really think somebody else could behave more badly than I have?

---

You already stated the obvious:  Wasted could. 

[Dresden Ceriano]

---

Pie Serendipity wrote:

ETA: Do you really think somebody else could behave more badly than I have?

---

If coaxing people into exposing their own mental instability were to suddenly become a capital offense, you might find yourself facing the death penalty.  Other than that, my answer would be yes...  not only could someone, but some behave more badly than you on a regular basis.

...Dres

[Storm Clarence]

---

Dresden Ceriano wrote:

---

Pie Serendipity wrote:

ETA: Do you really think somebody else could behave more badly than I have?

---

If coaxing people into exposing their own mental instability were to suddenly become a capital offense, you might find yourself facing the death penalty.  Other than that, my answer would be yes...  not only

could

someone, but some behave more badly than you on a regular basis.

---

 

I think, then, Pie's question should have read as: "... as well as I have?"  My answer would be no.

[Pie Serendipity]

---

Perrie Juran wrote:

---

You already stated the obvious:  Wasted could. 

---

Touché

ETA And thank you Storm and Dres; I'll have to try harder.

[Tex Monday]

---

Pie Serendipity wrote:

If anybody is really desperate I have a few spare avatars, complete with last names, in "storage" that a high enough offer might tempt me to sell...

---

 It is funny that you say that. I was thinking quite some time ago about selling my first avatar...but I don't think you're allowed to do it.

Found this in the ToS..(but have to preface that by saying I am not an attorney and I may not be reading it correctly. My apologies if I'm wrong).

11.2 You may not assign your Account; we may assign this Agreement.

You may not assign this Agreement or your Account without the prior written consent of Linden Lab. You may not transfer or sublicense any licenses granted by Linden Lab in this Agreement without the prior, written consent of Linden Lab, except solely to the extent this Agreement permits transfer of any applicable Linden Dollar Licenses.

There did used to be something about being able to transfer avatars to another person if the user has died, but didn't see that when I was poking around the Tos.

[Pie Serendipity]

---

Tex Monday wrote:

---

Pie Serendipity wrote:

If anybody is really desperate I have a few spare avatars, complete with last names, in "storage" that a high enough offer might tempt me to sell...

---

 It is funny that you say that. I was thinking quite some time ago about selling my first avatar...but I don't think you're allowed to do it.

Found this in the ToS..(but have to preface that by saying I am not an attorney and I may not be reading it correctly. My apologies if I'm wrong).

11.2 You may not assign your Account; we may assign this Agreement.

You may not assign this Agreement or your Account without the prior written consent of Linden Lab. You may not transfer or sublicense any licenses granted by Linden Lab in this Agreement without the prior, written consent of Linden Lab, except solely to the extent this Agreement permits transfer of any applicable Linden Dollar Licenses.

There did used to be something about being able to transfer avatars to another person if the user has died, but didn't see that when I was poking around the Tos.

---

Tex, they don't know who I am, so how would they know if I was someone else?