Vanity Fair

Here's a link to that Forbes article (I haven't really blogged much about it yet): https://www.forbes.com/sites/charlessingletary/2019/07/16/second-life-successor-sansar-draws-in-over-a-thousand-vr-viewers-with-live-music-event/#460b48b439e3

And (at the risk of sounding like a broken record) Second Life CANNOT be made to support virtual reality without making fundamental changes to the platform that would break it. One of the problems that Linden Lab has with SL is that they don't want to break user's existing content if they can help it. That means that they will never be able to attain the 90 frames per second needed to avoid nausea in a VR headset. THIS is why they decided to launch a new product that is VR-compatible, Sansar (which also supports desktop users quite nicely). There's no guarantee that Linden Lab will have the same success with Sansar as they did with Second Life. However, it is still way, WAAAY too early to write Sansar off. I have noticed a definite uptick in the number of newcomers lately. It's not anywhere near SL levels of course, but they're off to a good, promising start. According to a recent article in Forbes magazine, they had over 1,000 people in Sansar attending all or part of the Monstercat launch concert recently (albeit broadcast across multiple instances to handle the avatar load). That's significant. More info here: https://ryanschultz.com/2019/07/28/more-and-more-people-are-visiting-sansar-and-i-couldnt-be-happier/

Interesting conversation re: 3DX Chat. Here's my take on 3DX Chat, based on a temporary free trial I installed just to check it out about a year ago: https://ryanschultz.com/2018/10/18/3dx-chat-a-brief-introduction/ (Note: this link is safe for work.) Executive summary: it's not bad, but it really can't compete with everything SL currently has to offer in my opinion. I am glad, however, to hear that some people are using 3DX Chat for more than just sex. And you're right: Sansar, High Fidelity and Sinespace combined don't have as many people as 3DX Chat apparently does.

More information on Tim Sweeney's vision of the metaverse is here (he gave a presentation at SIGGRAPH, the annual computer graphics conference in Los Angeles): https://ryanschultz.com/2019/07/30/is-the-metaverse-going-to-look-like-fortnite-kent-bye-reports-on-tim-sweeneys-siggraph-talk/

I'm looking for this kawaii/gothic lolita dress, pictured in this poster for a Ayashi hairstyle gacha:

Bare Rose. You can't beat their prices. And Brii specializes in costumes.

Look at Akeruka. Their Bento mesh heads have options for vampire teeth and blood, they're quite nice looking. Check out this blogpost: https://ryanschultz.com/2018/09/22/second-life-steals-deals-and-freebies-a-fifteen-minute-vampire-makeover-for-only-l150/ The head is no longer a free group gift but it is still available at the Akeruka store.

I don't consider Linden Lab deleting users' perfectly valid questions to be a "mistake". LL did this deliberately. LL should know better.

Sorry, not buying it. How did they decide which questions were to be deleted? What is "off topic"?!?? Chic Aeon has been monitoring the situation carefully and blogged about LL deleting users' valid questions, why would she lie? But (as the tagline of my blog states) my blog is about “news and views” (viewpoints). What is going on with Linden Lab is newsworthy, and I do want to continue to share what I really think and feel about what I am reporting on. Otherwise, I am just a corporate shill, a PR parrot. I want to have the freedom to report on news and events in the evolving metaverse, to praise and criticize the various companies as I see fit.

Well, it's nice to see they finally have a demo version you can take home and try out. But it's not Omega compatible, so it's still a firm pass from me. My blogpost about this body is still getting lots of viewers, though: https://ryanschultz.com/2019/04/23/the-mesh-project-releases-new-male-and-female-mesh-bodies-why-i-wont-be-buying-one/

@Chic Aeon reports that Linden Lab has been caught deleting users' questions about Tilia: https://ryanschultz.com/2019/07/11/linden-lab-caught-deleting-users-questions-about-tilia/

1. My first question is: you talk several places about an "inactivity fee", but nowhere do you specify exactly how much that fee will be. Do you already know what that fee will be, or not? And will you be charged a different free if you are a U.S. versus non-U.S. resident. Thank you. 2. My second question comes from this thread's FAQ: --- Does this change impact Second Life Residents outside the US? For example, will non-US users who want to process credits still be subject to verifying their ID? How will this affect people who are resident in the US but not citizens? Yes, citizens of countries other than the US will still be subject to these requirements. Those who do not have a social security number will need to submit a copy of their passport. For non-U.S. citizens without a driver’s license or passport, we will need an equivalent government-issued ID to verify your identity for credit processing. For more specifics on what types of IDs might be acceptable if you do not have a government ID, you will need to work with our customer support team or continue to check our FAQ for additional guidance after Aug. 1. --- As a Canadian citizen, we are protected by the federal Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, who has posted some information on supplying a Social Insurance Number (SIN, the Canadian equivalent of the SSN): https://www.priv.gc.ca/en/privacy-topics/identity-and-privacy/social-insurance-numbers/protecting-your-social-insurance-number/. It very clearly states, "Your SIN is not a piece of identification." However, it also states that there is no law preventing private-sector organizations from asking for your SIN for other purposes such as identification. However, they warn that your SIN can be used to steal your identity. Along with other personal information, someone unscrupulous may be able to use your SIN to: apply for a credit card or open a bank account, rent vehicles, equipment, or accommodation in your name, leaving you responsible for the bills. My questions are: will a Canadian SIN be considered the equivalent of a U.S. social security number? And what other Canadian forms of identification (besides our passport) will be acceptable to Linden Lab if we do not wish to provide our SIN for privacy and security reasons? Thank you.

I don't think you have a choice in the matter.

THIS is what is bugging me! There is ABSOLUTELY NO MENTION of what dollar amount the monthly inactivity fee is, in either the Tilia FAQ *or* the Tilia Terms of Service. So there's going to be a fee for inactive accounts, but they can't even tell us what that fee is going to be?!?? At least be up front about it, Linden Lab! And the timing of this announcement, AFTER they got people to resign up for another year and AFTER all the Meet the Lindens events, is dreadful. I agree with what someone said on this thread earlier: if you make money from Second Life, you need to talk to your lawyer. I feel sorry for any content creators in SL who now have to deal with all the headaches that these new regulations will cause. And I won't be surprised if some content creators finally decide it's no longer worth the hassle to do it anymore. Also, will other US-based virtual worlds need to follow suit (e.g. OpenSim)? This whole thing raises more questions than it answers.

Being in SL has been an unparalleled creative outlet for me. I've even taken my first steps using programs like Blender, Avastar and Marvelous Designer to create content for virtual worlds like Sansar. But the biggest change in my life because of SL was becoming a virtual worlds blogger 2 years ago, and discovering that I had a knack for writing and reporting on social VR, virtual worlds, and the metaverse. I've even started a monthly pre taped interview show called Metaverse Newscast, and it's been wonderful to discover new talents I never thought I had! And of course I've met some wonderful people and made new friends and acquaintances.

I have a blogpost which I keep constantly up-to-date which lists all the options for free or inexpensive mesh heads and mesh bodies for female Second Life avatars: https://ryanschultz.com/2018/09/24/second-life-steals-deals-and-freebies-free-mesh-heads-and-bodies-for-female-second-life-avatars/

I got it! Thanks!!!

There was a diner?!?? Is that still available?

I have deliberately saved most of my old system avatar clothing in anticipation of being able to re-use it once Bakes on Mesh is launched.

I have updated my blogpost on changing your first and last name with the information from yesterday's interview with Oz: https://ryanschultz.com/2018/03/22/more-details-on-the-upcoming-ability-to-change-your-user-name-in-second-life/ I am quite disappointed that Linden Lab is not going to meet its most recent deadline on this (last November they said second quarter 2019). It's clear that this is going to be delayed again. I myself have a couple of alts I would gladly bring up to Premium if I could rename them.

Pick any one, they are all the same.

Heads up on another great deal for a Bento female mesh head. Cleo is a L$1 group gift from Akeruka, you can join the Akeruka group for L$150 to get it. The offer is only until June 20th, so hurry down. More details here: https://ryanschultz.com/2019/06/06/second-life-steals-deals-and-freebies-akeruka-cleo-female-bento-mesh-head-only-l151/

Heads up on another great deal for a Bento female mesh head. Cleo is a L$1 group gift from Akeruka, you can join the Akeruka group for L$150 to get it. The offer is only until June 20th, so hurry down. More details here: https://ryanschultz.com/2019/06/06/second-life-steals-deals-and-freebies-akeruka-cleo-female-bento-mesh-head-only-l151/

Heads up on another great deal for a Bento female mesh head. Cleo is a L$1 group gift from Akeruka, you can join the Akeruka group for L$150 to get it. The offer is only until June 20th, so hurry down. More details here: https://ryanschultz.com/2019/06/06/second-life-steals-deals-and-freebies-akeruka-cleo-female-bento-mesh-head-only-l151/

Heads up on another great deal for a Bento female mesh head. Cleo is a L$1 group gift from Akeruka, you can join the Akeruka group for L$150 to get it. The offer is only until June 20th, so hurry down. More details here: https://ryanschultz.com/2019/06/06/second-life-steals-deals-and-freebies-akeruka-cleo-female-bento-mesh-head-only-l151/