[Viewer 2.5 with Web Profiles Has Arrived]

I had set up hidden groups in old viewers and are not showing as shown in 2.4 or 2.5 (without searching, mind you) so that bug must not have "hit" me.

Also, its a bit presumptuious to assume who is an alt and who isn't and whose alt is whose unless you went thru every single group, but even then, thats still assuming.  You'd need a clear knowledge AND an IP address to actually link them.  But hey, if someone is that stalkerish to find out... then hi5 on them for actually figuring out the puzzle peices.

[Viewer 2.5 with Web Profiles Has Arrived]

I really don't see the huge deal in showing what group I'm in... doubt RL people care about fake stores.  However I do care about my profile and whats shown and who is IN my profile for the sake of privacy of others, friends, etc. which is why the linking of profiles to RL social networks is NOT ok with me.

Thats actually my biggest gripe here... I wish they would just give us the choice to instead of throwing us into it naked & blindfolded only to reveal that our privacy is no longer... private.

[Viewer 2.5 with Web Profiles Has Arrived]

I havent' had an issue with groups being hidden or not, whenever I move from one viewer to the next, they're still not on my profile, so thats good there ... for me anyways.

While in 2.5 (for the short half hour or so) I made my profile unsearchable on the web... now that I'm back in 2.4, its nice to know that the setting is there so I don't have to worry.  For those who un-tick the searchable profile button, it'll come up a blank page.

BUT, I'm still turning blue waiting for the Lindens to actually listen to us and restructure this whole profile/web-browser based crap thats called 2.5.

[Viewer 2.5 with Web Profiles Has Arrived]

Theres way too much wrong with this response... no where to start.... but lemme just say that if you've fallen in love so quick that you haven't had a chance to ask where they're from... you have issues.  LOL

Second Life isn't made to be a "dating service" .. just like its not made to be something like Facebook.  A bigger portion than not don't want to be pushed into the RL and WANT to keep their second life private. 
There ARE dating sites for SL'ers like avmatch.com if you want to go that route....  otherwise, keep it strictly SL.  Stop pushing it past the viewer.

[Viewer 2.5 with Web Profiles Has Arrived]

Download 2.4 here :  http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Supported_Viewers

[Viewer 2.5 with Web Profiles Has Arrived]

Yeah, its the same thing alot of us FB'ers have been bitching about....  changing security and settings to where our information goes who knows where... and now SL is doing it with the "liking" crap and linking us to social networks.

We might as well just fill out a form with our home address, social security #, phone number and send it out to EVERYone.... lets just save their web programmers/designers some time.

*rolls eyes*

FOR ONCE, I'd like someone to keep their word with what they used to say.... that they care about our privacy.

Because LL no longer does.

[Viewer 2.5 with Web Profiles Has Arrived]

My avatar is gonna have some fun on the Oregon Trail!!!  HELL YEAH!

[Viewer 2.5 with Web Profiles Has Arrived]

http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Linden_Lab_Official:User_Groups

Well it seems as tho theres a group meeting over "my.secondlife.com : Updates and feedback concerning my.secondlife.com" ... only ONE Tuesday a month.  I would happily go to this if I wasn't working and voice my opinion on this considering they never seem to read the blog posts.

Anyone thinking of attending?

[Viewer 2.5 with Web Profiles Has Arrived]

HAHAHA  Great point...  pretty soon we won't have to be in SL to be IN SL.

Its all going to be web based or we'll be playing from a damn App in Facebook!

[Viewer 2.5 with Web Profiles Has Arrived]

##*&+@*, I downloaded the 2.4 beta to try to go back but when I open it, I get a message that forces me to viewer 2.5. The only options are download viewer 2.5 or Quit...HELP!, please?

Theres a setting in you're preferences to automatically download updates or not.  I had to do the same thing.... accidentally downloaded 2.5.... tried it out.... hated it so I went back to 2.4 and changed that aweful automatic updater.

Last thing I need is to be pushed into something I don't like repeatedly.

.... oh wait.

And Mr Linden.... I urge you to actually pay attention to the whole thread.  Not pick and choose which ones you're going to read.

.... oh wait. 

Pretty sad, gotta say....  the one thing we're screaming over and what do they do?  Try and polish it more bright and shiney... hopeing the light blinds us into thinking its better and more useable and HEY LOOK OVER THERE!  ... oh wait, still a web based profile.  *shrugs*

Lindens can do what they want....  I'll be sitting right there til something major happens ( /me points to the chair over in 2.4)

[Viewer 2.5 with Web Profiles Has Arrived]

Yeah I think Trevor covered it.... they're just....  pointless.

[Viewer 2.5 with Web Profiles Has Arrived]

Yeah, thankfully I already found that one out when 2.5 installed ... after checking yesterday it was nice to see that I didn't come up.

I guess people don't understand that your profile CAN be hidden, but I"m still curious that if someone "likes" your profile, if it still shows up on a FB page?

[Viewer 2.5 with Web Profiles Has Arrived]

/me is still waiting to see a Linden comment on this all and their side of things.

 

/me turns blue.

[Viewer 2.5 with Web Profiles Has Arrived]

All 3 of you have a point.

New SL'ers who happened to find out about it by ways of networking sites probably won't have the time it takes to be put into SL and figure things out.  It took me a great deal to get used to it all and learn the ropes.  And even know, with a full time RL job, SL has been pushed down to "nightly" and "weekends only".   There aren't enough designers/photoshop pros/scripters/etc who play around w mundane "friend" sites who will take the time out of their schedule to become one of the mass producing avatars we are used to hearing of.... i.e. Vista, etc etc. 
I honestly think most of SL's population is geared more towards gamers and money makers (those who have the time to put into it anyways).  So they'll gain the attention of those who end up veering from WoW and Sims.

I do understand WHY Linden Labs is doing this but as Cody says, you really need to listen to the customers who have been around longer and actually implemented the changes and used the features on a regular basis.  We're the ones bringing in the money NOW. 
LL would be better off if maybe they at least tried to listen to us SOMEtimes but it seems as tho every word we seem to scream at them goes at the bottom of the pile and what happens is....  this mess.

And have they ever heard of word of mouth?

Poor newbies will be joining, making friends who have been around for a while, and then hearing the huge pile of complaints and even explaining the "brand spanking new" features that wont allow them to keep their new second life private. 
Way to kill that wonderful idea that Second Life originally attracted people in the first place!  ... seems as tho it might just push them away.

[Viewer 2.5 with Web Profiles Has Arrived]

Well heres the thing....

In my first year of SL (as just an average user, nothing special, no business's, no sims, nothing).... I spent an average of 100K Lindens.
In my second year of SL (renting land, now owning a small business, etc) .... I couldnt even calculate how much money I've put into the game.

So a thought for ya....

Out of the new joiners (who just happened to see this thing called Second Life on their FB and honestly know NOTHING about it, nor even knowing the changes, etc) .... say.... 10 join.... 3 or 4 stay on (hell, I'll even say 6 to be nice).... in that first year of those new members.... wouldn't you think that 3 or 4 or even 6 OLDER users will be spending more money inworld than they will be?

My answer would be yes.

This just means that their calculations of LINKING FACEBOOK = MORE MONEY doesn't equal at all.  Keep the ones who have been around longer... chances are, our land plot(s) we own, business's we have going, our shopping at more expensive/known stores.... will be/are helping them more financially in the long run than the new people who just happened to run across a "liked" profile.

[Viewer 2.5 with Web Profiles Has Arrived]

Well then that goes back to a previous comment I made about ... curious what the percentage is of those who join as to those who actually stay on.  If they join thinking its something like FB, then they'll be surely confused and misguided in that sense.

Another thing is, a big portion of FB users aren't going to flock to something like SL (in my opinion).  I see more Sims players and WoW players venturing towards SL than FB.

Users on FB are there to connect, not fly around sims, spend hard earned cash and clothe an avatar.  (but then again, thats my opinion)  I jsut don't see the coorelation here other than networking, and even then... if you think about it, Facebook doesn't allow "fake" profiles.  They've been taking down quite a few avatar pages because they don't represent real people (which I am in total agreeance with).

And you would also think, LL would like to keep existing members as we're probably the ones who are spending more cash compared to new people (who are more likely to leave within the first few weeks of signing up)  ... but hey, what do I know? lol

[Viewer 2.5 with Web Profiles Has Arrived]

Oh, believe me I know that 200k is NOTHING compared to some in SL.  But as just a part-time user who isn't a sim owner, huge business owner, etc... just a random player whose there for fun.... its alot of RL money to throw towards a virtual world.

But you have to think... me plus.... however many who have been in game long enough to know how/where to spend cash.... its racking in quite a bit.  -- and this is just the "average" user.

I also get why they're linking to Facebook, I think most people do....  its Facebook.  There are over 200 million active users on it.  So sure, LL was bound to jump on the bandwagon... but as I stated, they're missing the biggest, most important "pull" of Second Life.... anonymity.  We join SL to get away from RL.  If we want FB, you can be sure that 90% of SLers already have it.  If we want to mess with Facebook, chances are we are surfing it WHILE playing Second Life.  Theres no need to link the two considering most of us don't want to be found.

If LLabs ever feels the need to keep its most faithful users, they need to turn up their hearing aide.  Thats all.

[Viewer 2.5 with Web Profiles Has Arrived]

Thats a great point that is kinda funny, also, in a way.

When was the last time you had this many people bitching in a forum, saying "PLEASE Linden Labs!!  Link our SL to our RL!!!  We love Facebook, make us more like that!!!"   *rolls eyes*

I guess they never got the memo that the majority of SL'ers keep SL & RL private and seperate?

I think they're skipping all the BS we want and are thinking with $$.
And while losing only a few members and gaining alot more could be well worth it, some of those older members are the ones who are dropping serious cash and also MAKING LL serious cash also. 

I've only been around SL for 2 years and have easily spent over 200,000Lindens inworld.  Last night I ran into a huge group of newbies at a newcomer sim and most of them were complaining how boring it seemed and didn't get the concept (as most do).... so I'm curious the percentage of those who join to those who actually stay on?

They need to get their heads out of their ass (i.e. Lindens) and listen to those who have been around for the longest and have used and come to know and love the virtual world viewer.

[Viewer 2.5 with Web Profiles Has Arrived]

What I'm looking for is a response from a Linden.

Why on earth would you change these over to web based AND link us to Facebook, Twitter, etc??

And why havent you listened to us with TAKING THESE OUT??  (or at least making them "optional"?)

I just LOVE how the issue has been "closed" : https://jira.secondlife.com/browse/WEB-3494

Its stupid changes like these and NOT listening to us that really, really make me hate Second Life sometimes.  I've debated leaving a few times and I keep holding out for hopes that maybe they make GOOD changes that we've been asking ... no, wait..... BEGGING for and all they can do is add widgets!!

[Viewer 2.5 with Web Profiles Has Arrived]

Patric.... theres an online HUD you can buy on Marketplace for free that lets you add nonfriends to it to see when they are online (you can also add friends who may be "ghosting" from you) ... its made by Learjeff Innis.

Comes in handy!

[Viewer 2.5 with Web Profiles Has Arrived]

I'll half agree Kentar... its a SLIGHT improvement over the tiny windows.

One step forward: Letting us finally "blow up" photos and see them bigger and profiles easier to read/bigger in size....

Two steps back:  Screwing up Pick order/Groups on top (um why?) and then linking it to the outside world.

If this is a step towards something better, I hope they start running.

[Viewer 2.5 with Web Profiles Has Arrived]

Yes, my partner does not have a RL Facebook profile, however after accidentally doing the 2.5 upgrade, I showed him how to "untick" the "being searched on the web" option... but I think we're both weary of it actually working or not.   But I'm pretty sure if someone still "likes" the profile, it'll still show up SOMEwhere, but I can't be sure.  I tried to "like" it last night and I kept getting a blank web screen for Facebook.

Theres quite a few of us who do NOT want to be searched or linked to the real world and I wish LL would understand that.

[Viewer 2.5 with Web Profiles Has Arrived]

And just as a future note to the Lindens:

If they're going to implement ideas for the "offline/web-based" Second Lifers, give us an email address so we can send messages while we are offline to those who are online, and vice-versa.  Forget Facebook.  Forget Twitter.  In a few years, those sites will be like Myspace anyways .... non-existant.

... or hey, maybe a way to access our inventory while offline.

... or maybe even an easier way to use Marketplace without the "box".

I wish they had some kind of HUGE survey for actual users to give more feedback and maybe even scouts to find out what we want, instead of this pointless dribble they keep changing/adding.

[Viewer 2.5 with Web Profiles Has Arrived]

When I tried 2.5 Beta, I actually thought I would like it (minus the Facebook linking, etc).  Once I actually downloaded it and tried to use it on a normal basis.... I ended up quickly switching back to 2.4.

Issue #1 :  I lag like crazy in 2.5.  After just purchasing a brand new HP Envy laptop, I've been able to walk around normally in 2.4 with graphics at Ultra AND shadows enabled without a single issue.  However, in 2.5, not only do I lag everywhere, but if I turn shadows on for a while to do photos... it tends to overheat my laptop and even force a shut down.  Fail.

Issue #2 : I did like the new profiles... for a while.  Then they just because a nuisance for me.  Its nice that they still (albeit half-assed) show up in sidebar, however I wish we could keep ALL of the profile in the sidebar, but give the option to pop it out into a web browser.  Seems as tho the first "2nd Life" page is "web only", however the "Picks" section is still readily available.  Strange to me.  Plus it pops up over my playing screen, I keep having to minimize it because it covers everything and doesn't stay out of the way... but I think thats just me.  LOL

Issue #3 : I read in a previous comment that others are having this issue too.... I go to open someones profile and MINE pops up.  This bug needs to be fixed, its just flat out annoying.

Issue #4 : I like the check box to make your profile NOT shown on the web AT ALL but stil shown in Second Life to either everyone, friends, etc.... however, I'm not sure if this Facebook widget thing still works or not or how they plan on implementing it from getting "Liked" even if someone else lets their information known.  Plus it seems as tho the settings don't stick?  I've clicked "Save" but I'm extremely weary on profiles even being shown on the internet.  I know that before they still were on SL.com's search, but nothing was linked to other websites such as Facebook.  Its nice they gave us the option to not have it searched, but honestly... JUST GET RID OF IT!!

I won't be upgrading from 2.4 unless some things are either fixed or just taken out completely because it was nothing but an annoyance for me.  :\

[Viewer 2.5 Beta Now Available]

I will have to put my 2cents in on this one as I just now DL'd the beta viewer.

1. I do like the new profiles.  Just curious if this means video insertion will be coming up soon?  I sure hope so.  Its nice that we can finally ZOOM on the photos again too, I missed that!  However profile "decorations" such as hearts, etc, are not shown on all computers... which is kind of a downer.   It is a little strange, tho, that you can't see your profile on the side bar but you can see your picks.  It would be nice if you can still see both but have the "Profile" button placed at the bottom to pop it out into the web browser.

2. MOST people in SL use it as a way to escape from RL and to be someone/something else... PLEASE DO NOT make us link it to our RL without giving us a choice (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, etc).  I, myself, don't mind so much but I have quite a few friends who are NOT going to go for this one bit and might actually empty their profile if theres a chance of this happening without a voice in the situation.  Therefore, I would vote to have this as an OPTION ONLY feature.  Please ever so kindly.

(edit:  read the Linden post concernig the FB/Twitter profile sharing, having the option to opt out is nice, and its great to see us getting a foot in the door with this issue)

WHAT I MISS:

3. Look At/Pointing At crosshairs WITH names.

4. FLY button at the bottom, so I don't have to keep going into "Move" or pushing the Page Up button.  Also a distance meter that I could see when I"m flying up so I know how high I am.  Such a pain in the a** to guess.

5. Please add a distance number to those who are in the Nearby tab.  Its nice to be able to sort them by distance, but at least tell me how far they are!