[Priorities - a full-blown rant]

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In the context of the OP how much have we spent on Libya in the past 5 months?

 

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A better question is, how much have we spent IN Libya in the past 5 months.

Much of the cost of these fights is spent either 1) in the US, or 2) on US people (soldiers, contractors, etc.).  That money doesn't just evaporate, it is used to creat jobs in the US or in salaries to US people.

That doesn't justify the wars, and it isn't necessarily an efficient way to spend money, but I never see anyone who quotes these multi-trilion dollar costs telling us how much of that cost stays in the US economy.

 

[Has Linden Labs lost it's mind, or is Viewer 3 simply a sign Second Life is dying?]

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Yoki Enoch wrote:

Basic mode was the brain child of someone at Linden Lab who was under the assumption that Viewer use in SL was too complicated for many new comers. Somehow, they sold the idea to the "power that be" at LL that was responsible for such things, and thus the basic viewer was born.

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I don't know who came up with it, but if you read back a number of months, there was a pretty long thread that suggested this idea.  I think it even suggested 3 modes (one was optimized for building if I remember right).  It was a pretty well-accepted idea.

It's actually quite a good idea, just not well implemented.  Yes, it is too simple, there isn't enough there.  Several very important things were left out, as mentioned above.  But the basic idea is good.

I have been a V1 viewer user because I haven't liked the newer viewers, but with the mesh rollout I decided I needed to step up and get used to the new V3 viewer.  I'm getting used to it, it's not horrible, but things are still a little hard to do.  The first time I tried to get in and change my shape, it took me a good 15 minutes to figure out how.  Some of the inventory controls are wonky (right-clicking on a landmark will give you different options depending on which view you used to get to it).  Some of my settings don't save when the client gets updated.  And on and on and on...

It will get better, I'm sure.  Eventually.  Rather than just whining about it, let LL know what's wrong, give them a chance to improve things (something I'm still guilty of).

[Adding Value to premium membership...]

Couple things here...

I agree with the seniment here much more than the ones on the Linden post.  Sure, they're not huge bonuses, but they are still nice.  If you're a long-timesubscriber, these won't mean a lot to you probably, but they're likely not aimed at you anway...you're already paying, what SL needs is MORE people like that.  This (and other changes they've made lately) are aimed at driving new business.

Something to keep in mind here (aimed more at the posters on the other thread).  LL needs to make money, or we will all be homeless.  What they've added here are nice little perks that cost very little, which is exactly what they should be attempting.  Distributing some freebies costs them just about nothing.  Adding 12(?) sandboxes does cost them a bit, but not a lot.

The other suggestions, like doubling the land allowance (and I've seen some people suggesting MUCH more than doubling) or the prim allowance has a steep cost associated with it.  Upping the weekly stipend likewise will cost them money, though it's a little more fuzzy how much of that is a direct cost.  It is still a cost.  Sure, they would increase premiums too, but the added income would be offset by the extra cost to support the existing premium member's additional perks.

Of course they're going to try to provide us with nice presents that cost little, it just makes sense.  And remember, the announcement did say that 'this is just the beginning'.  Before you go getting all maudlin about the new freebies, see what else they have up their sleeve.

[Things That Builders Do Just To Annoy Me]

Personally, I loved the post.  Some people will nit pick about the tone, but that's fine...ignore them ;-)

As a long time 'beginning builder' I think I'll keep a copy of this around just to check myself.  I don't agree with every single point (for some reason, I have a fondness for walls that have actual thickness to them), but it's a great checklist of things to watch out for, or in my case, to learn how to do :-)

[What is the easiest way to view available mainland w/ premium acct options?]

Sounds like you understand it perfectly.  You get 512 for free as part of your premium account, and the additional 512 would cost you $5/month (or upgrade 512 more, for a total of 1536 for $8/month, etc.)

As soon as you purchase the land (and it will tell you EXACTLY how it will affect your billing before you hit the 'buy' button at the end), your account will be flagged as having a total of 1024 (or whatever) max for that billing period.  The extra you pay is whatever that maximum number is...so if you buy 1536, and sell off the 512 you didn't need, you'll still be charged that billing period for the 1536 level ($8).  The following month, when you only had 1024, you'd get charged $5.

Oh, hi again, I answered your other post too :-)  Just noticed that, I'm probably repeating myself some.  Between this post and the other one, I think you should be straight on all this now ;-)