Intolerance

The level of incompetence in redesigning and implementing the Viewer 2 (et al) UI is truly stunning. IMO, it is the standard by which "epic fail" in MMO game deployments is defined. This really should be a case study of how mismanagement can alienate nearly an entire user base. I'm with you Marcello. /me shakes his head in disgust

The issue I haven't seen addressed is equity. Now it's true than no one actually owns their land. They pay a tier to LL to possess it in world. Actually, they pay an up-front Set-Up fee and a monthly tier. That set-up fee amounts to a price of admission, an equity or value for those that have paid it, whether the original $1750 or the lesser $1000. When LL initially lowered set-up fees to $1000, some large land owners lost sums exceeding $50,000. I'm not a large land holder in SL, but I expect the sum was substantially higher for the Ansche Chungs. The loss came in the form of value; the resale value of the property given the cost to obtain a like property which is equity as it exists in SL. The latest LL "no set-up fee" Oklahoma land rush virtually eliminates landowner equity for existing land owners. Sim have no resale value now nor, arguably, rental value above and beyone tier. The many equity investments in LL's economic stability were wiped out in the great giveaway, which comes at a time of declining populations. Now I have it on good authority that the large land holders don't suffer this fate in the same way as the small landowners do because LL has cut backroom deals to reduce or eliminate set-up fees while also reducing tier on the acquisitions of these select few. The result is onerous though. What happens to good faith or confidence when you to this to people who've invested, trusted in you? Look at Wall Street and the Big Banks for a clue.