Looking after new users.

[Adam Spark]

1 minute ago, Beth Macbain said:

I'm not an educator. I have no patience. SL is my recreation. Teaching is work. 

There are people who enjoy it and are wonderful at doing it. I'm not one of those people and I don't think it's a good idea to expect me to be. 

I never worked with a mentor, or went to any educational areas to learn about SL. It was trial and error (many, many errors) for me, but that's the way I learn. Others are different and I think having several ways available to new residents is great. I think the idea of the new resident game because it's something someone like me could do by myself and at my own pace. Some would love the classes. Some would love to have a mentor. I'm sure there are other ways as well. 

From the moment a new resident logs in, I think they should be offered options:

Hi, welcome to SL. We know there is a big learning curve so here are some ways to see and learn about all the things we have to offer. 

• Join Magellan Linden on a quest to... do something.
• Jump to (teleport) to Caledon Oxbridge University and grab a class schedule.
• Fill out this form if you'd like one of our mentors to show you the ropes.
• Here's a list of welcome areas you can visit. Just click any of the links for a teleport.
  • London City
  • Firefox Land (or whatever it's called
  • I don't know any of the other welcome areas
• If you ever get lost, here's the help section
• Don't forget to check out our user forums. There is an answers section at the bottom where you can get help on any topic!

I'm not just talking about mentoring, although mentoring is part of it, for those who want to be doing it. I wouldn't want to be mentored by somebody who wasn't passionate about doing so, so I would never suggest we all do that.

My point was in response to the idea that one problem is how newbies get treated in here,  such as the age minimum for entering some areas. I get the point behind it, but we need to stop painting newbies with a single brush, and when they do wrong, we need to ask ourselves "is it possible they just don't know any better and just need to be told what they did wrong?"

[Rolig Loon]

4 minutes ago, Adam Spark said:

My point was in response to the idea that one problem is how newbies get treated in here,  such as the age minimum for entering some areas. I get the point behind it, but we need to stop painting newbies with a single brush, and when they do wrong, we need to ask ourselves "is it possible they just don't know any better and just need to be told what they did wrong?"

I quite agree but I think you are preaching to the choir. Unless I totally miss my guess, the people who have responded in this thread so far have been doing exactly that for as long as they have been in SL.  I'm seen many of them helping in Answers and elsewhere in the forums for a very long time.  I welcomed newbies at the reference desk in the Community Virtual Library for a decade, and I remember a couple of them coming through when they were newbies.  The real challenge is getting everyone else -- the landowners and club owners who are not part of this conversation -- to be more newbie friendly. That's not easy.  A polite suggestion from Linden Lab isn't going to do it.  The spirit of altruism isn't enough either. In a lot of places, stumbling newbies and nasty griefers are sure to drive away loyal customers and tenants.  Even the threat of that downside is enough to make the average manager say, "Why should I bother?"  

On the plus side --- if we're looking for things that SL already offers to appeal to a range of newbies (and everyone else) -- the Lab introduced the Portal Parks a few years ago now, as easy gateways to all of its gaming experiences (PaleoQuest, Horizons, Linden Realms, Cornfield, TCMG), seasonal areas (Isle of View, Winter Wonderland, Halloween .. ) and Gaming Island.  The portals in each instance of Social Island leads to a random selection of sites chosen from the Destination Guide. Seasonal grid-wide gift hunts (the Swaginator) have been going on for the past year or so. All of those opportunities are well-advertised and easy to use.  In most cases, getting there is a matter of walking through a portal. Some of the areas are real games, some with L$ payouts for success.  Some are places to explore.  Some are just spots to hang out and meet people.  Linden Lab has been building this sort of infrastructure for a long time, and has stepped up their efforts in the last three or four years. Bellisseria was designed in large part as another newbie magnet, although I think the Lab was surprised by how quickly it also turned into a retention magnet for old-timers.  (I am not a Premium member and have no intention of moving to Bellisseria myself, but I am overwhelmed by how much enjoyment I am getting from just wandering around there.)

I doubt that there is a simple way to convince the average SL resident to be nicer to newbies, although it's a great goal.  However, I do think that LL has been making some serious steps toward building a welcoming infrastructure and has been giving seasoned residents good reasons to stay.  Those moves themselves are at least part of the answer.

[Lewis Luminos]

4 hours ago, Tarina Sewell said:

I think as a community we need to look after the new members to. For instance, stop auto ejecting them when they land on your land because they are not a predefined age.   I had a friend join and really like it but within the first week, he was ejected from so many places and told he was not old enough he just stopped logging in...

I think your friend was just unlucky. I made a new alt a couple of months ago and encountered only one place with an avatar age restriction - it was either Ohana Rock Club or The River, can't remember which (whichever it was, the other one was fine). Then again, I didn't try to access any adult places, where avatar age restrictions are much more common. Maybe that's the sort of place your friend was trying to get into?

I still think that they really, seriously need to make it VERY clear that the username they choose at signup will also be their avatar name and will be visible to everyone. This alone is a serious security flaw that most new players are unaware of.

[Adam Spark]

4 minutes ago, Rolig Loon said:

I quite agree but I think you are preaching to the choir.

Maybe so, but I am sure the forum has a lot of lurkers, and we certainly see a lot of newbies who may pick up on some things said here for their future on the grid.

Having said that, I was merely voicing my agreement with a previous post and expanding on it, not really trying to convince anyone.

[Rolig Loon]

4 minutes ago, Lewis Luminos said:

I still think that they really, seriously need to make it VERY clear that the username they choose at signup will also be their avatar name and will be visible to everyone. This alone is a serious security flaw that most new players are unaware of.

That's a very good point.  Even when it's not a security issue, a hastily chosen login name can be a source of embarrassment and inconvenience for newcomers.  It would really help if there were a big banner notice somewhere in the signup process that says: "THE NAME YOU CHOOSE WILL BE DISPLAYED OVER YOUR HEAD AND SEEN BY EVERYONE YOU MEET IN SECOND LIFE."

[Rolig Loon]

7 minutes ago, Adam Spark said:

Maybe so, but I am sure the forum has a lot of lurkers, and we certainly see a lot of newbies who may pick up on some things said here for their future on the grid.

Having said that, I was merely voicing my agreement with a previous post and expanding on it, not really trying to convince anyone.

Yup, every little bit helps.  I didn't mean to sound discouraging, if that's the way it sounded. Attracting and retaining newcomers isn't an easy business, but it isn't entirely trial and error either. My point was that Linden Lab really has been making some decent changes in SL infrastructure that ought to help, and there are plenty of people here in the forums and in world who understand the importance of giving newbies a good start.  I am less sanguine about convincing landowners to give up entrenched attitudes about who gets to wander onto their land, but who knows?

[Adam Spark]

2 minutes ago, Rolig Loon said:

Yup, every little bit helps.  I didn't mean to sound discouraging, if that's the way it sounded. Attracting and retaining newcomers isn't an easy business, but it isn't entirely trial and error either. My point was that Linden Lab really has been making some decent changes in SL infrastructure that ought to help, and there are plenty of people here in the forums and in world who understand the importance of giving newbies a good start.  I am less sanguine about convincing landowners to give up entrenched attitudes about who gets to wander onto their land, but who knows?

No offense taken at all.

I'm not convincing anybody with entrenched attitudes. Its tiresome at best, and likely an exercise in futility as you imply. But there are plenty who are not entrenched in their attitudes but do things they may just not think twice about. Its so easy to remove an issue with a quick ban, even I am guilty of it as a venue owner. So while we may all agree, it never hurts to see a reminder, or perhaps another way we can do what we are doing already.

Besides that, I tend to get on my soapbox on certain issues I strongly agree or disagree with haha 🙂

[Dano Seale]

I'll help any 'newbie' if I can...as long as they're not being a t**t!  Though I also know from all my other gaming experiences that too many of them just blatantly refuse to self-learn. They remind me of my dad, a truck driver, who spent many more hours in his truck than he needed too, purely because he refused to stop and ask directions because he knew best!
If they need something that's beyond my capabilities to explain about, then my standard answer is - "youtube is your friend....friend!". After that they usually treat me like I've just eaten their first born or something!
If they're not willing to help themselves by spending a bit of time on the tube or in here? **** 'em! I've done my best and my conscience is clear.

[FairreLilette]

8 hours ago, Adam Spark said:

incorrect assumption that SL is a game.

SL is not a game but it has many games.  There are all kinds of boards games to play here, even chess plus there are battle game sims.    

I agree with the something to do part for newbies where they can win really nice prizes not Freebie Galaxy old kind of stuff.  Perhaps a questionnaire could be given out about what you (the newbie) are looking for in Second Life.  But, how to get them there after they fill out a questionnaire, IDK.

And, be directed to fun beginner learning classes about how to work things - meaning classes for the simple things for avatar creation not building as building is a different kind of class.

Maybe a forum section for newbies after they fill out the questionnaire so they can be directed to places that might interest them.  I have met many a newbie who do not even know the forums exist.  It takes a while to find out all these things.  There should be a way to help and enlighten when a newbie joins.

Speaking of "mentors" in this thread...I think someone was mentoring me when I joined.  He offered friendship.  I accepted.  He'd message me about how I was doing and as far as avatars, not so good.   I wasn't ready for a mesh avatar when I joined because I couldn't figure out all the huds.  All the huds seemed overwhelming to me but I learned to build.  We all get things in SL differently.  

Also, I didn't want to spend all that money on a mesh avatar when I did not understand it.  I finally about a year and a half into SL, bought two mesh heads that were a disaster for me.  I've shared that story many a time.  I spent a lot of money on mesh heads I was never happy with.  The thing is I thought they were fully modify when they are actually partially modify and they were not cheap.  One was also kind of defunct with only skins from Genesis and the Genesis skins are awful - bright face, dark neck, body another color altogether.  I thought the Genesis skins would have a lot of skins from a lot of maker like every other head I looked at but no I come out to find Genesis heads only work with Genesis skins.  

I'm way happier being a Dinkie.  I am free.  I really enjoy it and my friends.  

 

 

 

Edited March 8, 2020 by FairreLilette

[animats]

On 3/6/2020 at 7:49 AM, Madelaine McMasters said:

SL statistics are apparently no longer available, but here's the account creation graph for 2016-2019, from Tateru Nino's website.

ETA: Note that these are signups per day, not month.

Those have to be signups on the web site, probably from spambots which will fill out any form that seems to lead somewhere. The interesting numbers are 1) how many made it through avatar selection and the startup tutorial, and 2) how many were in world 1 week after signup. LL doesn't give those numbers out.

[rasterscan]

Looks like LL intends to do some fresh new marketing of the ole' 'game' That's great news. The question remains however. How to look after newbies. What magical formula will *keep them coming back* for more ? The current decade old newcomer scenario is way out of date.

Edited March 8, 2020 by rasterscan

[rasterscan]

Here's my first 'out the box' thought on how to look after newcomers.

Three stages ...

Stage One: A landing area, as beautiful as Bellisseria has become. Modern best mesh, views so realistic ones jaw drops. Thats them hooked for at least 5 essential minutes. 

Stage Two. A quick tour. Be it a train, bus, walk or a TP I dont know what would work best.. But the stage two experience needs to include a brief tour of each premium home type availabe, perhaps ending in a sandbox.

Stage Three. This is where the newcomer has to make their first decision. Where they enter the 'real' Second Life. I dont know how that would best be done,  maybe continue the portal system, maybe something new. 

 

If this leaves you thinking 'Well that's what we do already' my response is 'Well get it modernised'. Oh, and for gs, give them a decent avatar for the game. Seeing everyone else looking amazing while one feels like a cardboard cutout is not ideal. Don't need a choice of 30 classic avatars need One good male and One good female ...  OK ok,  and one furry and one tiny and one none gender. The win is in the clothing options they will quickly be introduced to, end of stage two or beginning of stage three.

 

Are you with me ? ARE YOU WITH MEEEE ?

Make them drool and they will returm.

Edited March 8, 2020 by rasterscan

[Hunny Bunny]

Hmm, I'm new here let's see what is there to do? ... Ahh! A destination guide. Perfect!

Ok, there 's some clubs, cool but I don't know anyone here and nobody talks they just kinda standing around "HELLO!" ...Hmm, I don't even know what is going on and what's Linden love? ...

Oh, some RP areas alright that might be fun.... More people standing around "Hello!" ...maybe if I knew someone but it seems I'm being ignored. Is it because I'm the new person? ...

Hmmm, three shopping events .... Well, I have no clue what I would buy even IF I had $ but I'll try some demos ... Weird, nothing fits me. What am I doing wrong? 

Ohh, here's some more stores ... I still don't have any money so, what let's see what else is there ...

Five skill gaming regions ... Okay, I like games let's check that out ... Ohh, they want money to play and I still don't have any $. 

Welp, so much for that. Second Life is harder than RL, think I'll go back to playing Minecraft.

[FairreLilette]

16 hours ago, Rolig Loon said:

On the plus side --- if we're looking for things that SL already offers to appeal to a range of newbies (and everyone else) -- the Lab introduced the Portal Parks a few years ago now, as easy gateways to all of its gaming experiences (PaleoQuest, Horizons, Linden Realms, Cornfield, TCMG), seasonal areas (Isle of View, Winter Wonderland, Halloween .. ) and Gaming Island.  The portals in each instance of Social Island leads to a random selection of sites chosen from the Destination Guide. Seasonal grid-wide gift hunts (the Swaginator) have been going on for the past year or so. All of those opportunities are well-advertised and easy to use.  In most cases, getting there is a matter of walking through a portal. Some of the areas are real games, some with L$ payouts for success.  Some are places to explore.  

See, I didn't even know this Rolig.  But, I have also mentioned here on the forums that when I started I only had access to my laptop which my character couldn't even hardly move so I couldn't even read much at the 1st day beginner do the tasks area whatever it's called nor could I see too well.  I didn't get my desktop pc until about a month later and what a difference for SL that first day on my desktop pc.  It was like Dorothy stepping into Oz.  

What did I do - I just clicked open the Destination Guide and saw Newcomer Friendly and saw London City so I went there and after standing awhile, the host IM'd me and told me how to dance.  I also could not as a newbie go to many places...I would be sent back saying my avatar is not old enough and I was going to moderate places and not adult places as was spoken of in this thread.  

A lot of where to find the information to do things seems to be lost on a lot of residents because there are those who do not even know SL has a main page where you can check the grid status let alone your transaction history.  

It does take a long time to get acquainted with everything here that it does somehow need to be streamlined and the information gotten across successfully.  

Linden Realms, I heard, now though is PAYMENT INFO ON FILE only. 

Edited March 8, 2020 by FairreLilette

[Rolig Loon]

17 minutes ago, FairreLilette said:

Linden Realms, I heard, now though is PAYMENT INFO ON FILE only. 

That's true.  So is PaleoQuest.  They pretty much have to do that these days as a way of keeping the cheater/griefer traffic down.  You can still play the game, of course.  The PIOF requirement only applies to getting a L$ payout at the end. I suppose it depends on your motivation for playing.  If you're in it for the L$, then that's a temporary roadblock (although it's not at all difficult to register a verified payment method).  If you're in it to have fun beating all of the perils, solving the puzzle, whatever .... who needs PIOF?

Edited March 8, 2020 by Rolig Loon
typos. as always.

[Dano Seale]

6 hours ago, rasterscan said:

Are you with me ? ARE YOU WITH MEEEE ?

"CANNNN YOUUUUU DIGGGGG ITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT?"

(Sorry, just brought back memories of 'the warriors'  😄)

[Seicher Rae]

I haven't made an alt in ages, but it is sad to learn that the process is still as lacking as it used to be. The few people I have met in RL who even know what SL is have one of three standard reactions: 1) That's still around? 2) Oh, that's the pixel sex place? 3) I tried it and never saw the point.

It is nice there are people who are mentoring noobs. It is literally a thankless job. I won't be one of the ones helping. I will answer the odd, random questions. I will be polite. Every time I have been nice, and expended time, energy, and even sometimes $L I end up annoyed, whether from lack of common courtesy in return to other matters. I posted a few days ago in the "pet peeves" thread about my latest foray into noob helping. Good luck to them, but eff it if I'm going to be the one to help. No one helped me and I muddled through pretty much ok. Sorry if I appear to be the grumpy misanthrope that I am, but it ain't for lack of trying.

 

[FairreLilette]

7 hours ago, rasterscan said:

If this leaves you thinking 'Well that's what we do already' my response is 'Well get it modernised'. Oh, and for gs, give them a decent avatar for the game. Seeing everyone else looking amazing while one feels like a cardboard cutout is not ideal. Don't need a choice of 30 classic avatars need One good male and One good female ...  OK ok,  and one furry and one tiny and one none gender.

Okay, the one non-gender is fine but the furry well...not allowed in many places...and the tiny also not allowed in many places.

I am a tiny now in SL.  We is discriminated against most likely because we are tiny as in small so from afar we may look like a child avatar.  Which is a problem.  It just is.  It's a problem with no easy answer.  And btw tinies are mostly animals with human characteristics that wear clothes and talk, sing, dance but are asexual.  Furries are not asexual from my understanding but they is discriminated against in many places too.  

But, I do agree with a "decent avatar" which I would say is a mesh starter avatar of some sort, doesn't have to look as good as the ones you can buy...but at the start you look pretty good and right off start learning about them (the mesh avatars).

Tiny starter avatar most likely is not a good idea for reasons I mention above.

Edited March 8, 2020 by FairreLilette

[Drayke Newall]

7 hours ago, rasterscan said:

Are you with me ? ARE YOU WITH MEEEE ?

Make them drool and they will returm.

Sad thing is I could probably find you many posts from 10 years ago and up till now that basically say the same thing you have said yet, it always falls on deaf ears. Until LL pull their head out of the "we don't get involved with the world" sandbox and actually listen to decent feedback nothing is going to change.

The other issue is there are a select few that LL seem to listen to who have rose coloured glasses on and give LL feedback that everything is fine and so nothing happens. Call me cynical but it has been shown time and time again to be the case.

[Adam Spark]

12 hours ago, FairreLilette said:

SL is not a game but it has many games.  There are all kinds of boards games to play here, even chess plus there are battle game sims.

Which was my entire point. You play games IN SL, but in and of itself, SL is not a game.

[Selene Gregoire]

25 minutes ago, Drayke Newall said:

Sad thing is I could probably find you many posts from 10 years ago and up till now that basically say the same thing you have said yet, it always falls on deaf ears. Until LL pull their head out of the "we don't get involved with the world" sandbox and actually listen to decent feedback nothing is going to change.

The other issue is there are a select few that LL seem to listen to who have rose coloured glasses on and give LL feedback that everything is fine and so nothing happens. Call me cynical but it has been shown time and time again to be the case.

Not to mention the few residents that LL does listen to when they do make all the wrong changes. Like last names.

[SpiritSparrow Skydancer]

21 hours ago, Lewis Luminos said:

I think your friend was just unlucky. I made a new alt a couple of months ago and encountered only one place with an avatar age restriction - it was either Ohana Rock Club or The River, can't remember which (whichever it was, the other one was fine). Then again, I didn't try to access any adult places, where avatar age restrictions are much more common. Maybe that's the sort of place your friend was trying to get into?

I still think that they really, seriously need to make it VERY clear that the username they choose at signup will also be their avatar name and will be visible to everyone. This alone is a serious security flaw that most new players are unaware of.

it was some stores he went to as I recall.  and a few live music venues. I doubt he tried to access what you are suggesting.

[Drayke Newall]

7 hours ago, Selene Gregoire said:

Not to mention the few residents that LL does listen to when they do make all the wrong changes. Like last names.

Yep. It is refreshing to see so many Lindens taking the feedback in the forums in the marketing thread. It is also why I think and have been requesting for years that they should have a Second Life feedback section within the forums itself as it shows when LL employees post, that they are listening to their userbase. Jira is an awful platform for feedback. It is designed to be a bug submission system and the general userbase will never visit there. A new user wants to see in the official forums regular posting by staff members, not just forum moderators as it give the impression to them that they are engaged in the community as well.

This used to be the case many years ago when LL actively interacted with the community though it fell to the wayside.

Then there is the issue of the inworld meetings. Sure they can still have them, but telling people (like I have been told in the past) that I need to submit my questions in those inworld meetings or they wont get heard is ridiculous for a platform that spans timezones. I am not going to log on in the wee hours of the morning just to submit a question or feedback. This is where the issue you mentioned comes into play. Only those few residents that visit these inworld meetings are listened to and so they get skewed data and opinions of what is and isn't wanted.

Edited March 9, 2020 by Drayke Newall

[Lancewae Barrowstone]

Ok, so the upshot, as I believe it, is that many people come to SL not so much to “do” something as in a game experience, but more to “be” something, like another gender, a furry, a character role, a bf or gf, a Gorean assassin, a Star Trek crew member, a housewife, a wrestler, a biker at some hideaway bar, or a dancing girl who loves to flirt.  SL is full of so many odd, interesting, quirky or just down right repulsive groups and regions out there. Hah.  The list goes on.  But this is where the various interests will lie.

Now, imagine some kind of a great billboard at the entry points that are listings of ALL those various active sims by category type and emphasis, etc.  That list can be LONG!  Imagine what this kind of intro does to a newbie’s brain.  It wants to explode at the possibilities. I want to be this… I want to be that.   Surely, there’s something on that glowing board of living groups out there doing things, that every newbie can zero in on.   

And then perhaps you can just click one and tp there.  The idea is that you don’t teach newbies first. You intrigue them first.  So, a tp lands you at an intro point such as with the Wild West sims, or you land at other role-play sims, or shopping or live music. This can begin a process of exploration that keeps a newbie busy for a year.  Coming back to this gleaming board of worlds unknown again and again to click another link, NOT to go see something cool (the Sansar way) but to see how you can fit there, how you become a function there, belonging with an existing, inviting group that wants you.  You are beginning your own selective personal journey for what you might become in Second Life. You are not a passive element; you are to become an active agent.  

Also, this inter-active board should have a BIG green button beside each category where a noob can click to “Join with others” to go on this region exploration, and can either wait until someone else clicks to join or just go ahead and when someone does click the blinking green "Join" button, they arrive in progress.  Imagine a volunteer standing there and if no one else joins you get the chance to jump in and go with the newbie and see some stuff you may have never seen and become a guide with knowledge, and answer some questions in the fun process of teaching a willing and ready student.  You might even be spurred to suggest another sim you know and thus begin a real tutorial of things-SL with an interested ear. This is far more fun and productive than standing, greeting newbies who may not even know to look at the chat screen to see your greeting.  

This becomes a chance for arrivals to test SL by their own selective, guided immersion.  In many visited places you can wear a visitor’s tag and enter the active roleplay areas to view the activity and the wonder of the builds.  Cities all over the Gorean role-play experience in SL, which is something like 200 sims, all seek new players to take active roles and will train them, as do the Panther Girl tribes in their sims.  All are looking for new players.  Once a newbie grasps this, and experiences the number of varied opportunities, and can see how one goes about entering into them, then the world of Second Life becomes a broad open universe for the first time, with actual points of real or potential interest. This is no longer a newbie wondering what SL is?   Asking, what can I do here?  This is a peek into something pretty vast.

So many sims want visitors and new players to join them that they will agree to take in newbies through such a new arrival program/partnership, in order to get their listing on the great board and thus build themselves a more active region.  Even clubs hosting dancers are looking for new players. This explains SL all over.  Opportunities are pretty broad.  A newbie can learn this, and no longer feel lost, but begin to lay out goals and proceed to explore them, learning as you go.  

Secondly, I think newbies need more seed money.  But the key should be to make it earn-able.  By say, joining a listed, participating region or established group, where you apply and when accepted are allowed to join and become active.  This could then free up a onetime “payment” from LL for this achievement and maybe a participation period should be appended, oh, say 30 days of active participation, and upon clearance by the group leader, LL will release this stipend — some decent Lindens, say $2000L.  In a combat rp sim weapons can cost $600L and more. A newb can use freebie weapons that work with pretty much the hitting power of the more preferred weapons of the skilled players, but will lack certain of the nice features of those popular weapons.  Thus, this possibility of earning this second stipend drives a newbie to stay and work and earn that $L. This type of seed money only whet’s a new players appetite.  In other sims it might go toward mesh items. This is no longer an aimless, confused arrival. This is a different being, one with a purpose, and who senses the fun in it.   And such a stipend only goes into the SL economy, anyway.

A tertiary benefit to this type entry program is that those participating groups will agree to teach their new members.  They do it anyway.  Groups all over SL are constantly wanting new players, and they will train them because it’s to their group’s benefit.  There is no better training than a participatory role where you are building your character/avatar as you go along, and having fun doing it, interacting with others in a group eager to have you and willingly to teach you their skills.  

So, very easily a newbie becomes no longer just a newbie, but gains a sense of belonging and a path of trajectory.  Okay, not every new arrival will fit successfully into SL.  We know that.  And not everyone will take this path.  But the many good ideas found in this thread can help those who are ready and eager to find an entry point, so they can begin making themselves into what they came for: a new and second life. 

[Selene Gregoire]

8 minutes ago, Drayke Newall said:

Yep. It is refreshing to see so many Lindens taking the feedback in the forums in the marketing thread. It is also why I think and have been requesting for years that they should have a Second Life feedback section within the forums itself as it shows when LL employees post, that they are listening to their userbase. Jira is an awful platform for feedback. It is designed to be a bug submission system and the general userbase will never visit there. A new user wants to see in the official forums regular posting by staff members, not just forum moderators as it give the impression to them that they are engaged in the community as well.

This used to be the case many years ago when LL actively interacted with the community though it fell to the wayside.

Then there is the issue of the inworld meetings. Sure they can still have them, but telling people (like I have been told in the past) that I need to submit my questions in those inworld meetings or they wont get heard is ridiculous for a platform that spans timezones. I am not going to log on in the wee hours of the morning just to submit a question or feedback. This is where the issue you mentioned comes into play. Only those few residents that visit these inworld meetings are listened to and so they get skewed data and opinions of what is and isn't wanted.

I'm with you on everything but the questions. Those need to be submitted days prior to the meeting, not the day of. About the only excpetion I can think of at the moment would be TPV meetings. Yes, the Lindens do hold regular meetings with the TPV devs and their teams. Pretty sure that hasn't ever stopped. Point being LL has meetings of different kinds they hold that, while they aren't exactly open to the public, they aren't exactly closed either. Most people just aren't aware the meetings exist.