Increasing the 300 Linden Stipend

[Ceka Cianci]

58 minutes ago, Kyrah Abattoir said:

I believe charter member stipend might be even higher, the 500L$ stipend is for all accounts before september 2006.

there was a small gap in there of a couple of months where people got 400 a week..

I joined July 31 2006..I just missed getting the 500 a week by like a couple of weeks,i think it was..Instead I get 400 a week..

Missed it by that much. They must have heard me coming

hehehehe

 

[that Small]

On 6/1/2019 at 7:25 PM, Erwin Solo said:

http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/What_is_a_Charter_Membership Quote: "Occasionally, an older Resident may be listed in his profile as being a 'Charter Member' of Second Life. This is a privilege extended to the oldest Residents who were willing to risk a larger upfront payment for never having to pay subscriptions ever again for life prior to version 1.2. This membership type was extended at the introduction of land tier to provide a free 4096sqm of land tier per Chartered Member."

A Charter Member once told me they paid $160 for the membership (but either their or my memory may be off), and they get 4096 tier and a stipend, but I don't remember the value of the stipend.  Your @LittleMe Jewell comment of L$500 sounds about right. 

 

hi! I'm a charter member.. I paid $179 and I get 4096 land +500L a week.. shortly after and back when they switched from the old tax system, somebody bought my land for some crazy amount, I bought a computer with it.. I've been collecting 500L weekly since?... 2003?

 

sorry, I know this post is super old.. I'm actually on here for the first time, trying to figure out why I can't buy land in auction

[Lillith Hapmouche]

"Charter member" is that lifetime membership that was once available, right? If so... is it the same as a premium account? I do suppose that land auctions run a check on the bidder, "premium: [] yes [] no ... charter member? Not in my programming, so [x] no".

I wouldn't change anything about that old account, to avoid risking the loss of those L$ 500 per week. 

You're quite likely a very rare case.

[that Small]

19 minutes ago, Lillith Hapmouche said:

"Charter member" is that lifetime membership that was once available, right? If so... is it the same as a premium account? I do suppose that land auctions run a check on the bidder, "premium: [] yes [] no ... charter member? Not in my programming, so [x] no".

I wouldn't change anything about that old account, to avoid risking the loss of those L$ 500 per week. 

You're quite likely a very rare case.

yeah, I wouldn't change it... it won't let me anyway though. I'm guessing this is an error, as I am a rare case... How rare are we? I'd be surprised if none of us have tried to buy land in auction.  Maybe I'm just the first one to say anything..

 

and yes, "charter membership" avalible in 2003 for a lil under $200...  that 500l a week = about $100 a year.  I feel like I'm wasting the free land  that's a $22 value!

Edited June 12, 2020 by that Small

[Alwin Alcott]

58 minutes ago, that Small said:

ying to figure out why I can't buy land in auction

contact support i think... as Lilith said a rare case   most likeley the person that set up the auctions didnt add that status as enough to use the feature.
And indeed don't get premium.
 

 

1 minute ago, that Small said:

 "charter membership" avalible in 2013 

2003 i think  and hope ..  or i'd pull my hairs out for not doing it  

[that Small]

Just now, Alwin Alcott said:

contact support i think... as Lilith said a rare case   most likeley the person that set up the auctions didnt add that status as enough to use the feature.
And indeed don't get premium.
 

 

2003 i think  and hope ..  or i'd pull my hairs out for not doing it  

oh yeah! my bad.. I edited it  

[Love Zhaoying]

I would support a stipend increase, if LL increases tier fees. LL really gives us additional value these days.

#UnpopularOpinion #FightMe

Edited June 12, 2020 by Love Zhaoying

[Qie Niangao]

1 hour ago, Love Zhaoying said:

I would support a stipend increase, if LL increases tier fees.

Perhaps unintuitively, tier has nothing to do with it. What would need to increase is something denominated in L$s such as upload fees or Marketplace commissions. They need to keep a careful balance between L$ "sinks" and "sources" (predominantly stipends)... or at least make very sure the sinks are greater than the sources, to preserve the L$'s value. (They can always sell brand new L$s if the Lindex exchange rate exceeds target, but they'll never buy L$s to prop up the currency.)

[Love Zhaoying]

19 minutes ago, Qie Niangao said:

Perhaps unintuitively, tier has nothing to do with it.

I was being specious, if that's the right word, or random, if it's not the right word.

Another thought: most L$ goes to feed the  general SL economy. So, increasing stipends really helps LL.

[Chic Aeon]

I skimmed but didn't read everything here so if someone already said this, sorry. 

Back to the OP ---

From a BUSINESS standpoint (Linden Lab) premium membership with weekly stipend  gives them OPERATING CAPITAL.  If people paid annually and were in the $400 per week group both LL and the avatar pretty much broke even depending on the Lindex value but LL had the money to use during that year. Those in the typical $300 a week were actually paying a small amount for the actual perks.  

 

I did the math again when the premium price went up but obviously  everyone (baring the super old guys on the lifetime deal) is paying RL dollars for the premium membership now.  BUT whether it is a yearly, quarterly or monthly payment LL gets money out of the deal. That is pretty much the point LOL.   So increasing the stipend so that LL loses money really makes no business sense at all.   LL needs to make money to pay the bills. For awhile there it was a little tenuous so we don't want to go back there.  Any way you look at it, people are not ACTUALLY paying 99 a year because they get a bunch of that back in their 300 a week stipend. 

 

If and when the "super duper premium" appears -- it will be interesting to see how that pencils out.  

[animats]

No, don't increase the stipend. Before the price on Premium went up, landlords could buy premium memberships, buy land, and almost break even by cashing in the stipend. This is part of why there's so much vacant land owned by landlords. LL should not subsidize that.

[Love Zhaoying]

5 hours ago, Chic Aeon said:

obviously  everyone (baring the super old guys on the lifetime deal) is paying RL dollars for the premium membership now

I pay RL dollars but somehow feel "super old" from your comment!

[811Lord]

17 minutes ago, Love Zhaoying said:

I pay RL dollars but somehow feel "super old" from your comment!

The apple teaches us to understand that the best are always ripe. Always remember: You are only old when the candles cost more than the birthday cake!

[Kyrie Deka]

On 6/2/2019 at 9:07 AM, Sister Nova said:

*Sits with his Monopoly set in front of him, a wad of Monopoly money in one hand, and a wad of L$ in the other*

"Wouldn't it be great if like, this money was, like REAL!!"

Err ... actually, the L$ CAN be exchanged for RL currency, as Blush said in the post above.

So really, see now, for those of us who never ever "cash out" Lindens, my first thought was something like - Lindens just slosh around from individual to individual within game and never go away...  but of course, if one "cashes out" that makes ALL the difference.

I would gladly look for an option in my Premium membership, to "never cash out" - and get instead of L$300 a week, a stipend of L$500 or $750 a week just to "recycle Lindens" to fellow Residents.  My weekly upload image fees alone at L$10 per image burn me up every time I see that pop-up remind me.

[Chic Aeon]

56 minutes ago, Kyrie Deka said:

 

I would gladly look for an option in my Premium membership, to "never cash out" - and get instead of L$300 a week, a stipend of L$500 or $750 a week just to "recycle Lindens" to fellow Residents.  My weekly upload image fees alone at L$10 per image burn me up every time I see that pop-up remind me.

That makes no sense really -- from the Linden point of view. Each time you buy something or "tip" someone there is a pretty good chance that the money will get cashed out. There are still LOTS of folks making there living (or part) in SL.  So if YOU get extra bonus money under the "no cash out" clause -- the person you give the money to (when buying a product for example or paying rent)  WILL cash that out.   

 

In some platforms (games) there are two types of money. Money you CAN cash out and money you cannot. So as I see it, that would be the only option from the company's standpoint.  I still don't see any reason why LL would WANT to increase the stipend.   

[Kimmi Zehetbauer]

1 hour ago, Kyrie Deka said:

So really, see now, for those of us who never ever "cash out" Lindens, my first thought was something like - Lindens just slosh around from individual to individual within game and never go away...  but of course, if one "cashes out" that makes ALL the difference.

I would gladly look for an option in my Premium membership, to "never cash out" - and get instead of L$300 a week, a stipend of L$500 or $750 a week just to "recycle Lindens" to fellow Residents.  My weekly upload image fees alone at L$10 per image burn me up every time I see that pop-up remind me.

One of the clubs in world is owned by a charter member and mentioned it's nice not to worry about tier or annual membership. I don't plan to cash out either and let the L$ until I need them. Too bad they couldn't do a special like maybe for $200 or $300 have a "Lifetime" premie level with at least 2048 for the land.

[Sister Nova]

4 minutes ago, Kimmi Zehetbauer said:

One of the clubs in world is owned by a charter member and mentioned it's nice not to worry about tier or annual membership. I don't plan to cash out either and let the L$ until I need them. Too bad they couldn't do a special like maybe for $200 or $300 have a "Lifetime" premie level with at least 2048 for the land.

US$200 will get you 2048 sqm of land. But that’s paying for two premium accounts, and is an annual payment. I would think for a ‘Lifetime’ premium a/c with 2048 sqm you’d possibly be looking nearer US$1000 minimum  

[Kyrie Deka]

6 minutes ago, Kimmi Zehetbauer said:

like maybe for $200 or $300 have a "Lifetime" premie level with at least 2048 for the land.

2048! I felt spoiled a bit with the 1024. But always its the prim max... 2048 would be awesome!

[Kyrie Deka]

57 minutes ago, Chic Aeon said:

Money you CAN cash out and money you cannot. So as I see it, that would be the only option

Good reasoning. My thinking is that when I spend, it circulates to others (who may or may not cash out).  The incentive for both groups is to do it all over again and receive another payment of some kind, be it Lindens or cash. True that those who cash out may not take 100% of those dollars and reintroduce those into SL.  But of course as one who never cashes out (only in lol), I cannot control what others take away. But I can feel I/we all contribute by spending internally, and the hope is that those who have for years been inspired to advertise to attract my/others spending continue to do so.  It may not make good sense to SL to raise the Stipend, or it may given some challenges, diversions, and other stuff going on this year. Sometimes only time will tell the good decisions from the not-so. And I really wonder if any business plan, this moment in time, will remain exactly the same as what made sense January of this year. 

[Istelathis]

I'm okay with the $300L a week, but will not complain if I get more and will not oppose it.   Paying $8.50 USD a month for SL is reasonable for me, when you consider a free house and the stipend. I used to pay more for world of warcraft, and they never did give me a house.  With that said, I am jaded when it comes to the price of land here.

 

I'm still really curious what the new premium tier will bring to the table, and how much it will cost.  I wonder if it will be a better deal than having two premium accounts, or if it will be somewhere between at a lower price.  

[Kyrie Deka]

On 6/14/2020 at 11:23 PM, Istelathis said:

what the new premium tier will bring to the table, and how much it will cost.  I wonder if it will be a better deal

I am watching intently.  I almost hesitated to renew annual last year.  This because the possibility occurred to me that  the up-level new premium might actually pull some current Premium bennies into the new level (where the old premium I was subscribing to for a full year might be *less* later in the year, etc.).  

 

[LittleMe Jewell]

6 hours ago, Kyrie Deka said:

I am watching intently.  I almost hesitated to renew annual last year.  This because the possibility occurred to me that  the up-level new premium might actually pull some current Premium bennies into the new level (where the old premium I was subscribing to for a full year might be *less* later in the year, etc.).  

 

LL has already said that they will make a way for use to apply remaining Premium membership to the new level --- probably something like pro-rate the fee we paid and apply that to the new level.

[Charlotte Bartlett]

I am probably going WAY off topic - but I noticed in the latest version of Firestorm - when you upload an image (for 10L) - it now also says "Fee is based on your subscription level. Higher levels are charged lower fees".    Is that something coming our way I wonder -  e.g. Premium get free uploads.  

The learn more link just links to https://secondlife.com/my/account/membership.php? which doesn't note any new premium perks relating to upload fees.

The L$ sinks from uploads for Mesh/textures are part of what offset the stipend payments.....

Or has that been there forever and I am only just noticing it!

 

Edited June 16, 2020 by Charlotte Bartlett

[Janet Voxel]

27 minutes ago, Charlotte Bartlett said:

Or has that been there forever and I am only just noticing it!

Nope, it was put in there with the last update.

[LittleMe Jewell]

37 minutes ago, Charlotte Bartlett said:

I am probably going WAY off topic - but I noticed in the latest version of Firestorm - when you upload an image (for 10L) - it now also says "Fee is based on your subscription level. Higher levels are charged lower fees".    Is that something coming our way I wonder -  e.g. Premium get free uploads.  

The learn more link just links to https://secondlife.com/my/account/membership.php? which doesn't note any new premium perks relating to upload fees.

The L$ sinks from uploads for Mesh/textures are part of what offset the stipend payments.....

Or has that been there forever and I am only just noticing it!

 

As Janet says, it was added with their last update.  I believe one of the inworld LL meeting mentioned that it would start being used when the new Premium level becomes available, which I think has been delayed until after they get everything moved to the cloud.  We don't know the specifics, though there have been many speculations -- the new level gets uploads for free, or cheaper, or some for free and rest cheaper, etc....

Edited June 16, 2020 by LittleMe Jewell
spelling, as usual