Nany Kayo

3. its sick because theres no reason they should be in a virtual world together. They have the real world right there... Actually there are a lot of great reasons for a family to be in a virtual world together. First, because it is a world that is not right there. It's somewhere else beyond right there. It's across the planet or across the universe or way out there in someone's imagination. Why would anyone want to see someplace they have never seen before? Why would anyone want to share their experience of brand new place with their family?

Boaz, this is a painful and disruptive change, but it may be very necessary. It's like that guy who had to cut off his arm to live. He is going to be ok. I think Linden Lab is going to be ok, too.

Sort of like a divorce, enit. With LL keeping the kids.

You misunderstand the question. The core question is, does Linden Lab intend to operate a pornography business? Regardless of whether or when the company realized that is how their platform was going to be used, what do they intend going forward? Putting underwear on default avatars is an indication that they do not want to continue to be seen as promoting pornography. Whether their customers want that or whether porn is where most of their money is coming from, indications are Linden Lab does not want Second Life to appear to be a porn site. And I can see why. Plenty of reasons have been presented in the blogs. There are risks and embarassments associated with it. They could be blackmailed. They could be sued. They probably do lose potential legitimate business and prestige because of it.

Very true, but those sites were specifically set up form the beginning for a mixed range of users and people all understood that going in. SL was not established with any such expectation and the users who have been in it for years all had certain expectations. Why would LL tattoo underwear on default avatars if they expected and intended Second Life to be a porn site?

Read the post. He threatened to attempt to destroy the entire platform and everyone's work on it. You said earlier that you don't think removing Adult content from Second Life is a good idea. This is an example of why it would be. Linden Lab would avoid blackmail threats like the one this person is making.

He is threatening to grief the entire platform. The thing to do is ban him. LL probably won't do that, but I would.

I can see many reasons Adult content might be more trouble than it is worth. All of the consternation here is an example. There are thousands entertainment and technology companies that make a profit without selling pornography. Porn is not the only way to make money on the 3D internet.

Ask the griefer who is threatening to close Second Life down why he thinks that is a good thing. What Linden Lab could do is ip ban all his accounts. Then anything he says about the company will be discredited as a disgruntled, banned ex-customer seeking revenge. No one will listen to him.

haha! Do it. I believe that will trigger the complete ban of Adult content.

Why would Linden Lab need an "out" to shut their business down? It is a private company. They are free to go out of business any time they choose to do so. They are free to change their business model and their terms of service any time and any way they please. They can decide to abaondon the creaking, aged wood to decay in a barren landscape while they turn their attention to fresh growth in new fields.

Do you think anyone here cares what you want? Based on the evidence, that doesn't seem likely.

I'm interested in your opinion on this. I think mainstream accounts like yours are under-represented in this discussion. I have some questions for you if you are interested in hearing them.

But we don't have complete knowledge of what birds are involved. We know some things about existing customers, but we don't know about potential investors or buyers. We don't really know how profitable the current customer base is or how much it costs to maintain those customers. We don't even know for sure how many of them there are. We can guess with reasonable assurance that something major is up in 2011. I am going to bet SL will last at least through the year. I am going to invest more. I'm going to pay tier for 2011 for the nonprofit I manage, and I am going to drive commercial development for the three commercial alt accounts I manage.

Yes, they are not responding to concerns being expressed for some reason. I think both the timing at a normal fiscal year end and the inflexibility may be clues to what that reason is. Some deal may have already been cut, in other words.

It has been pointed out that LL does not seem to value those customers very much. LL is not responding to those customers' concerns.

The strongest arguments for banning all Adult content seem to be coming from Adult content creators and users. In general, people who don't use Adult content seem unconcerned about the presence of teens on the main grid. They don't seem to see the policy change as a threat, so they are not pointing out any potential problems with Adult content. The impression is that LL is not listening to this discussion. But it may be listening to a different message than the speakers intend. People arguing against teens on the main grid may be convincing LL that Adult content must be removed. Remember, these are customers that have already been lost. These are people who have already declared their dissatisfaction with Second Life and their intention to stop doing business with LL. The reasons for pulling the plug on the Adult content keep adding up.

The argument for LL to ban all Adult content keeps growing.

You have to be logged in to buy anything from the Marketplace, don't you? Doesn't seem much point to page thru all that stuff if you are not planning to buy any of it.

Any merchant who does what you suggest will make themselves invisible to new users, and those are the people who buy the most stuff. Those are the people who buy clothes and houses and textures because they don't know how to make them yet. Not saying I don't hope those merchants eliminate themselves from competition. I'm delighted. I just feel a little guilty for it. edit: Good point about having some G rated residential land to rent, btw. There will be demand. Thanks.

um... a lot of us grownups get to know people a bit before we consider having phone sex with them. Yes, do some background checking on everyone you plan to have sex with. Figure out who you are talking to. Having sex with someone has serious, real world consequences. Some people who engage in so-called "Adult" behaviors in Second Life may not know it, but actual adults do know this. Since we are being a little blunt about our views here, it is pathetic that this seems to be such a confusing issue for so many here. If they were my customers, I would toss some of this junk off the boat like LL is doing.

I wonder if anyone is taking a pool on how long till the first adult resident gets arrested for interacting in an adult way with a minor masquerading as an adult. It's hard to care what happens to people who are that reckless. It sucks when some dumbass harms an innocent bystander, but it is hard to care that they trashed their own life.

SL may well have a bailout on the way, government or otherwise. I think a major restructuring of some kind is already set to begin January 2011. I believe the reason Linden Lab doesn't appear to listen to its customers is that the decisions have already been made. There may be ongoing discussions but the course is already set. They are not telling the rank and file customers what it is, but I believe something major will happen to Second Life beginning in January. We can try to guess. My guess is the 'Disney-fication' people talk about, under management of an entertainment company and with Adult content banned entirely. My guess is if anything like that happens, most of the current content creators will spread to other grids. My belief is that will be a huge windfall opportunity for the remaining content creators both in Second Life and on other grids. That's what I am planning for - an enormous amount of work in 2011. I need to be ready to set out that solution provider sign and get some of those contracts. You can mope around crying in your beer about how things aren't going your way if you want to. I have work to do.

Why do you think LL management keeps ignoring your opinion?

Only one year ago, I paid you (i.e., LL) $150 in tier between mainland and estate. But because of bonehead decisions like this, I now pay you $15. And, I can get it down to $5-$8 USD and still have all I need in SL. At that rate of return, you are not a significant customer for LL, so it doesn't really matter what you think. LL would have little reason to pay attention to what you or others who have already opted out have to say. It is the customers who are still in the game who matter.