Updates to the Second Life System Requirements

[Perrie Juran]

Updates to the Second Life System Requirements

 

We have made some changes to the Second Life System Requirements to bring them more up to date, and are making some related changes to the Viewer:

• We have removed Windows XP and Mac OSX 10.6 from the list of supported operating systems. Microsoft has announced the end of support for XP, and it has been some time since Apple has released updates for 10.6. For some time now, the Viewer has been significantly less stable on these older systems, and the lack of security updates to them make them more hazardous to use.
  We have no plans to actually block those systems, but problems reported on them that cannot be reproduced on supported systems will not likely be fixed.

• The Windows installer has been modified to verify that the system has been updated with the most recent Service Packs from Microsoft. While we will not block installation on Windows 8 at this time, we strongly recommend upgrading to 8.1 for greater stability. Our data shows that the Viewer is significantly less stable on systems that have not been kept up to date, so the installer will now block installation until the updates have been applied. This change will be effective in a Viewer version to be released in the next few weeks, so it would be a good idea to get your system up to date before then. You can find information on how to install the latest updates at the Microsoft Windows Update page.

  
  ____________________________________________________________________

   

  
  

  http://community.secondlife.com/t5/Tools-and-Technology/Updates-to-the-Second-Life-System-Requirements/ba-p/2643650 

   

[Canoro Philipp]

we will have a lot of people using xp and mac osx 10.6 asking questions here why something doesnt work.

hopefully third party viewers will keep compatibility with those systems. if the viewer works well under those systems, not at its absolute optimized state, but well, third party viewers should be able to continue providing support using the older code for people that for some reason cannot upgrade.

[MIstahMoose]

I lol'd because the recommended is more like the minimum. Even below the minimum imo. Can run it, but my god you'll get so few frames..

[KarenMichelle Lane]

Oh my,the list includes the Intel Atom processor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Atom_(CPU)

This is an unusual little thing that I've only seen on some smallish netbook style PC's. - Usually these things have very miminal graphics capability. Sigh.

[Drew Bhalti]

so forcing me to install updates I do not want or do not need and that typically break what I use for programs.  Nice LL.  sigh~  another one of these "HEY LET'S DO THIS WITHOUT CHECKING"    I get the xp, anybody using that is risking everything.

 

I'm on 7, sure service pack 1 is installed, but if I install a certain update for .net or a vb run time or a hotfix, might as well say I will be having issues with a piece of software I use for supporting a fortune 500 company. Nice.  Great to know.

[Canoro Philipp]

I have seen those cases where a certain update mess a computer, LL should be more clear informing which specific updates a user needs to run the latest viewer, that way the user could skip the ones that mess other programs and still be able to run the latest viewer.

[Perrie Juran]

 

Just tossing this in here.  Current Market Share. 

Chart is from / more detail here.

[ObviousAltIsObvious]

---

Canoro Philipp wrote:

we will have a lot of people using xp and mac osx 10.6 asking questions here why something doesnt work.

hopefully third party viewers will keep compatibility with those systems. if the viewer works well under those systems, not at its absolute optimized state, but well, third party viewers should be able to continue providing support using the older code for people that for some reason cannot upgrade.

---

the installer update really came in by way of Firestorm. the existing checks were very much out of date, allowing install on systems as old as Windows 2000 where the viewer was only going to crash.

the changes being made are only blocking install on systems where the viewer already stopped working right with the current code. the installer will only be showing warnings when the viewer can run but the system is at risk.

 

[Buttacwup Float]

These changes block login where there are known compatibility and hopefully security issues. It won't make people install each and every update. That said, people should expect to see this more and more. Those who run WiFi hotspots, some server configurations, and other online tools are starting to consider scanning of machines before they connect to ensure they do not have any major security issues. You see it mostly on corporate networks now, but security pros are recommending it more and more.

 

Best option is run a modern OS and keep up with security patches.

[iceing Braveheart]

---

Perrie Juran wrote:

Updates to the Second Life System Requirements

 

We have made some changes to the

Second Life System Requirements

to bring them more up to date, and are making some related changes to the Viewer:

• We have removed Windows XP and Mac OSX 10.6 from the list of supported operating systems. Microsoft has
  announced
  the end of support for XP, and it has been some time since Apple has released updates for 10.6. For some time now, the Viewer has been significantly less stable on these older systems, and the lack of security updates to them make them more hazardous to use.
  We have no plans to actually block those systems, but problems reported on them that cannot be reproduced on supported systems will not likely be fixed.

• The Windows installer has been modified to verify that the system has been updated with the most recent Service Packs from Microsoft. While we will not block installation on Windows 8 at this time, we strongly recommend upgrading to 8.1 for greater stability. Our data shows that the Viewer is significantly less stable on systems that have not been kept up to date, so the installer will now block installation until the updates have been applied. This change will be effective in a Viewer version to be released in the next few weeks, so it would be a good idea to get your system up to date before then. You can find information on how to install the latest updates at the
  Microsoft Windows Update page
  .
  ____________________________________________________________________
   
  http://community.secondlife.com/t5/Tools-and-Technology/Updates-to-the-Second-Life-System-Requirements/ba-p/2643650 
   

---

Thx for the heads up first linden labs blocks my gpu/video card now they will block my os I wont be purchasing any linden L$ now thank you saved me rl $$$ 

[Pussycat Catnap]

This seems perfectly reasonable.

You can't reasonable expect LLs to support software and hardware who's own makers no longer support it.

Nor can you expect them to allow things with known security issues to connect (which makes me wonder if they will block the use of IE as a browser choice in the preferences inside of SL, given that even the US federal government now classifies IE as a 'day 0 security threat').

And for systems where it can function but with known instability - its a good thing that they warn people so people can know they are running at risk systems.

 

[iceing Braveheart]

---

Pussycat Catnap wrote:

You can't reasonable expect LLs to support software and hardware who's own makers no longer support it. 

---

I never asked lindens to provide direct support for my operating system but if they feel the need to block then good riddance to trash as for your comment about hardware thats a joke new hardware doesn't even work with linden labs crappy software because they block that also have to wait a few years for the lazy ********* to add a line to txt to the viewer

[Griffin Ceawlin]

Wouldn't it be nice if everyone still supported MS-DOS...

[Rex Cronon]

let me add some more info.
i heard about this at simon group meeting on thursday.
it seems that i should say thank you to "Phoenix-Firestorm Viewer Rocks (tankmaster.finesmith)" and very likely to Oz Linden for kicking me out sl:(
i asked, and the main reason it seems to be that there are too many crashes, which imo are very likely due to people using "special" TPVs to crash others. that is how i crash usually:(
i also understood that the viewer can still run under xp sp2, so it is illogical to block installation
after the group meeting i read "http://community.secondlife.com/t5/Tools-and-Technology/Updates-to-the-Second-Life-System-Requirements/ba-p/2643650" and saw that it says "We have no plans to actually block those systems" which makes no sense.
there is a temp log of the chat from that group meeting "http://rcds.nfshost.com/ques_view_chatLog.php?queOwner=llsl%3ARex+Cronon&queName=chatLog&pg=1" feel free to make copies of this chat log as i can't keep it up for long.
btw. since now viewer updates r forced it looks like i and possibly many others won't be able to login:(
i also find it totally unjust for ll to force people out this way.
imo it should have been enough to just let people know they run the viewer under those OSs at their own risk.

[Dillon Levenque]

The installation blockage is only for XP Service Pack 2. Service Pack 3 was released in April of 2008. The only way you could possibly still be running SP2 is by refusing Windows Updates since July of 2008, when Microsoft started including SP3 as part of Updates.

I really don't think you can blame LL or anyone else for this. Your computer is running an OS version that has been out of date for six years, even though free updates have been available the whole time.

[Perrie Juran]

I'm going to echo what Dillon said also.

Considering all the bug fixes, security updates and other features I do not understand why you have not updated to SP3 either.

Linden Lab can not be expected to support older platforms forever and really they'd be doing a dis-service to the greater population by continuing to support systems that have and will over time become  less and less secure.

What is it that obligates them to support an unstable and unsecure system?

 

 

[Pussycat Catnap]

---

Rex Cronon wrote:

 

btw. since now viewer updates r forced it looks like i and possibly many others won't be able to login:(

i also find it totally unjust for ll to force people out this way.

imo it should have been enough to just let people know they run the viewer under those OSs at their own risk.

---

Used to be patch day for the viewer came out and EVERYBODY had to update. No choice. Then sometime in maybe 2009 or so LLs backed off, and the TPVs started getting popular with the one that was being used for criminal purposes by its maker (Emerald) adding 'boob jiggle' to get people to think it was 'safe and secure' (the logic sometimes... It has boobies, it must be higher quality and safe because I leiks itz)...

Now they allow you to optionally choose to have your viewer auto-update...

And wackos call this being forced to update.

Its like people are posting from the Bundy ranch or something...

 

[Canoro Philipp]

it it works under the system that Rex Cronon is using, why block it just because its old?

maybe is too much of a job for the Lindens to test the new releases in a wide variety of operating systems and configurations, so they minimize that job by testing only with the latest lunix, windows and Mac OS, probably with the new releases things are not gonna work well on untested operating systems, thats a risk that the user would have to deal with it, but why block it for the users if it works, just to minimize their work load? they should let the user get the risk, and if something is a showstoper they should let the user decide if they are willing to live with the problem, or when they have decide or have the resources to do it, upgrade.

it remembers me when mesh came, people were blocked because they didnt have SSE2 capable processors, their viewers were still able to log in, they just didnt see mesh correctly, and some users were willing to live with it while they took the time to save money or travel to a place where computers were sold to upgrade their computers, with the blocking, based on the "shared experience", merchants and people that had jobs and other important things in-world, they just had to give up SL and wait for when the time comes when they are able to upgrade.

blocking a product that works, as much as the user is willing to stand, provides a lot of disadvantages to the user.

[Cerise Sorbet]

The installer is blocking systems where the software doesn't really work right. It tends to crash a lot on those older systems even if it does launch and almost sort of kind of work.

Note that only the installer does this blocking. The installer is really a compressed file, and the contents can still be extracted with 7-ZIp or your archiver of choice, and the viewer will run that way.

About SSE2: the installer actually wasn't checking for that. Until this change, the viewer would install, and then simply wouldn't work right. The updated installer is to stop crap experiences like that, and tell the user it won't work right beforehand.

Firestorm has been using updated installer checks for months now, and the world didn't end.

[Perrie Juran]

---

Canoro Philipp wrote:

it it works under the system that Rex Cronon is using, why block it just because its old?

maybe is too much of a job for the Lindens to test the new releases in a wide variety of operating systems and configurations, so they minimize that job by testing only with the latest lunix, windows and Mac OS, probably with the new releases things are not gonna work well on untested operating systems, thats a risk that the user would have to deal with it, but why block it for the users if it works, just to minimize their work load? they should let the user get the risk, and if something is a showstoper they should let the user decide if they are willing to live with the problem, or when they have decide or have the resources to do it, upgrade.

it remembers me when mesh came, people were blocked because they didnt have SSE2 capable processors, their viewers were still able to log in, they just didnt see mesh correctly, and some users were willing to live with it while they took the time to save money or travel to a place where computers were sold to upgrade their computers, with the blocking, based on the "shared experience", merchants and people that had jobs and other important things in-world, they just had to give up SL and wait for when the time comes when they are able to upgrade.

blocking a product that works, as much as the user is willing to stand, provides a lot of disadvantages to the user.

---

Well, right now LL has not mandated this for the TPV's plus they haven't said he can't log in so if he wants he can rework the code himself or use a TPV.

But I'll say it again, supporting an UNSECURE system does a dis-service to us all.

Quoting from the Server Group Logs:

 

1. A[19:37:57] Simon Linden: The viewer group has a pretty good idea of the usage for various OS and hardware ... this kind of decision isn't made lightly
2. A[19:38:17] Rex Cronon: imo that is a "genius" idea. lets see how empty ll will get:(
3. A[19:38:21] Whirly Fizzle: XP has a bloody awful crash rate. Most of the out of memory crashes we see in FS support are on XP 32 bit.
4. A[19:38:28] Simon Linden: I do know that a disproportioned about [sp? amount?] of crashes and graphics problems are on the older hardware.

I I don't think that Oz and Simon and the other Linden's are going out of their way to sabatoge SL or to simply reduce their work load.  It was not a decision they made lightly.

 

[iceing Braveheart]

With the money I save from this change I am going to buy a new 80" 4k TV and more toys!:manvery-happy:

 

[iceing Braveheart]

---

Perrie Juran wrote:

---

Canoro Philipp wrote:

it it works under the system that Rex Cronon is using, why block it just because its old?

maybe is too much of a job for the Lindens to test the new releases in a wide variety of operating systems and configurations, so they minimize that job by testing only with the latest lunix, windows and Mac OS, probably with the new releases things are not gonna work well on untested operating systems, thats a risk that the user would have to deal with it, but why block it for the users if it works, just to minimize their work load? they should let the user get the risk, and if something is a showstoper they should let the user decide if they are willing to live with the problem, or when they have decide or have the resources to do it, upgrade.

it remembers me when mesh came, people were blocked because they didnt have SSE2 capable processors, their viewers were still able to log in, they just didnt see mesh correctly, and some users were willing to live with it while they took the time to save money or travel to a place where computers were sold to upgrade their computers, with the blocking, based on the "shared experience", merchants and people that had jobs and other important things in-world, they just had to give up SL and wait for when the time comes when they are able to upgrade.

blocking a product that works, as much as the user is willing to stand, provides a lot of disadvantages to the user.

---

Well, right now LL has not mandated this for the TPV's plus they haven't said he can't log in so if he wants he can rework the code himself or use a TPV.

But I'll say it again,

supporting an UNSECURE system does a dis-service to us all.

Quoting from the Server Group Logs:

 

1. A[19:37:57]
   Simon Linden
   : The viewer group has a pretty good idea of the usage for various OS and hardware ... this kind of decision isn't made lightly
2. A[19:38:17]
   Rex Cronon
   : imo that is a "genius" idea. lets see how empty ll will get:(
3. A[19:38:21]
   Whirly Fizzle
   : XP has a bloody awful crash rate. Most of the out of memory crashes we see in FS support are on XP 32 bit.
4. A[19:38:28]
   Simon Linden
   : I do know that a disproportioned about [sp? amount?] of crashes and graphics problems are on the older hardware.

I I don't think that Oz and Simon and the other Linden's are going out of their way to sabatoge SL or to simply reduce their work load.  It was not a decision they made lightly.

 

---

This really isn't good enough your not gonna lose enough money for next goal a suggestion would be to block drivers and software if your not using norton anti virus and have a active subscription blocked since it is not safe and runs risk of crashes if your not using zone alarm pro firewall blocked since it runs risk of crashes and is not safe to not have a professional firewall at all times while connected to the internet if your not using pre selected video card drivers by linden labs blocked since it runs risk of compatibility issues and crashes and unsafe you will have to chose wether running second life is more important to you then playing your favorite video games or testing beta drivers overclocked computers with overclocked processors and gpu's video cards some are even manufactured over clocked overclocking may result in instability and crashes linden labs should region block if users are not american if users connect from around the world will have a lagy experience which can allow for lag cheating in combat sims which is not safe or fair and lag can also result in crashes so please more blocks hurry it is urgent

 

since linden labs cannot fix or make there own software run properly they are going to try and dictate how users operate and use there computers wether or not it is right or wrong by adding more blocks and manipulating people personally I think linden labs should mind there own ******* businesses but that is just me

[Pussycat Catnap]

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iceing Braveheart wrote:

since linden labs cannot fix or make there own software run properly they are going to try and dictate how users operate and use there computers wether or not it is right or wrong by adding more blocks and manipulating people personally I think linden labs should mind there own ******* businesses but that is just me

---

Part of making THEIR software run properly is making sure its run on viable systems...

Part of minding their business is making sure they use limited resources in the manner that best improves the platform. LLs lacks the resources and authority to fix WIndows XP, so instead they fix SL - because XP is now officially expired.

 

You don't open the fridge and drink a 14 year old glass of milk...

Wingnut theories about being 'forced' or 'manipulated personally' or whatever that coolaid is serving up... just don't make you look sane. That's how they talk over at the Bundy ranch or Fox or something - but its not how "normal" people think...

 

 

[iceing Braveheart]

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Pussycat Catnap wrote:

---

iceing Braveheart wrote:

since linden labs cannot fix or make there own software run properly they are going to try and dictate how users operate and use there computers wether or not it is right or wrong by adding more blocks and manipulating people personally I think linden labs should mind there own ******* businesses but that is just me

---

Wingnut

  

---

Why respond if all you can do is use profanity and have nothing productive or logical or on topic to say? surely you do not work in real life as they would of fired you on spot post hast

[Pussycat Catnap]

Don't post wingnut theories or reasons for why stuff happens, and what you do post won't get labeled as wingnut.

If you don't like what they do - try to express it without using terms of conspiracy like 'forcing', 'dictating', 'manipulating', 'right or wrong', and such.

Can your point be stated without resorting to that kind of thinking... If it can, do so. If not, then its a wingnut position.