Wendy Starfall

When I wrote the petition, I kept in mind that this has to be technically and economically implemented. I don't think it is easily possibly to scan through the L$ balance of all SL residents. I do think it is easy to implement something like reducing process credit to 2.5%, or waiving the LindeX fee, just as an example. Both of these things take the economic limits tier into account in some way. Further, I don't believe that everyone on tier "Resident 1" is processing credit. There will be many people who use the L$ they earn through gacha resale inside of Second Life. Those who indeed process credit on this tier, will need that money.

I'm covering this in my EULA and privacy policy that is included with everything you get from me. Spam is repetitive messages. My feature only sends these 1024 bytes of text once per item. If a user owns two items and wears those at the same time, they will get it twice. It's arguably the most ethical and legit news system inside of SL. I can't remember when I ever used it to promote things for sale. The last two news I sent where to this topic / my petition and when I blogged several weeks about the corona situation: https://www.opencollar.at/blog/i-cant-hear-any-cars People choose these items because they are or want to be part of my community. It's always used for topics that are relevant to my community, and if you don't feel to be a part of that, and have so much dislike for the things I do and stand for, why do you use my stuff? There are plenty of alternatives for free and for sale. Make yourself happy and choose one of these, but please stay on topic here.

That's not what I'm asking, but I don't think explaining it all over again would change your opinion, as I've been adamant that this was only for those creators who earn the least. What I learned from this topic so far is that a lot of people have little to no understanding that content creation is real work. No creator is sitting at their desk, with a stupid grin and dick in hand (excuse my language) while modelling, rendering, coding or assembling. They need to work just as much as someone who works in the game or design industry. But most who do only earn a tiny fragment of what'd be an average wage in those fields.

Please refer to this comment:

The petition is not about awarding big brands who make lots of revenue. This is about real life artists who have a SL stint on the side, and who only have any income at all through SL during the corona crisis because their RL business is halted. It's specifically for those who always earn less than 1,999 USD a month. The "Resident 2" economic limits tier. Those artists who earn less or a bit over 1,000 USD a month. Those people where it makes a difference to have 20 to 100 USD more at the end of April. Where it matters to have 1 or 2 more weeks of food from this, or not.

The petition is for tier 2 and below, not above.

I'm sorry, I didn't understand at first that you aren't a native English speaker. I will try to express my opinions in a more simple English when I respond next time. For now you can maybe make use of https://translate.google.com or https://www.bing.com/translator.

How do you conclude that from any of the things I posted? Why would reducing or waiving fees for those content creators who are earning the last money, cut into the wages of Linden Lab employees? instead of the extra profit from booming virtual business as someone else in this topic suggested? What I really fail to understand is how it is fine when some big brands use the COVID-19 crisis to promote their stores with things, such as "Disaster Relief Gift Cards", but me starting a petition that helps out artists who I supply with features, is somehow wrong. Please try to read what is there and don't interpret any evil or stupidity where there is none. I want people to be well. Not everyone is a horrible person with some "agenda", especially not me, who has nothing to gain personally. Someone linked a topic about fees that I opened last year, I quit logging into SL briefly after posting this and only returned to support my community during COVID-19. Don't be so angry all the time. Don't see something bad where this none. If you disagree with my petition, nobody forces you to sign it, and you have already left your opinion. The truth is that I was hoping for a constructive discussion about these details, among other things: What fees exactly could be reduced or waived? What would help content creators the most? Who is closing or has to close their shop / sim who is not part of my community? Are there alternative ways to help out artists, such as having small shops promoted on the Linden blog more frequently. Can popular bloggers help too? Etc.

No, I mean what I wrote in my post. I didn't address anyone personally, but none of that is relevant to the petition, so I will just quote the part you left out in your quote:

That was a different topic. It's not related to the petition, which is addressing something that is current right now, and not back then. It's also no big secret if you know me. I always cared for the workers. ✊

Why would you think that? There is a very toxic and very vocal minority in the SL community, but I'm convinced that those people who work at Linden Lab are nice and kind people. I'm sure they discussed similar topics internally, and even if they didn't, I don't want any of them to "take a hit". I want them to keep their jobs just as much as I want content creators to keep theirs.

Maybe it depends who you ask because it is coherent with my reality. This is the way I see things based on what I have learned. It's a reasonable petition in my opinion. You see, I could use the same argumentation against you. How do you know that the business for those types of artists is booming? Where do you get this information? Probably from people you know, who told you, but that doesn't account for everyone. I have good judgement because I have been supplying features to artists with small shops for over 10 years. No. Now is exactly not that time. That's what this whole thing is about.

But you are not the "wider SL population", neither do I have the ability to reach this "wider population". I can only reach so many people. I'm a content creator who creates a popular feature set on SL since many years that is used by artists, usually with small shops. I care about those people and I find it right and just to start this petition. I'm not hurting anyone by suggesting these things, and I believe my request was reasonable. What is "optional form of entertainment" to you, is a substantial part of some artists' monthly income. You can have this "optional entertainment" because people like them create content that you can purchase and enjoy.

That's not what I'm asking for in my petition. I'd appreciate it if you chose to be less rude in your responses to me. I'm specifically asking for those in the low tiers, those who need any financial support that they can get. Why it is offensive to you that these people pay a few dollars less for their sim rental, or get 3.5% that fee, or 5% this fee lowered or waived, I really don't understand.

This forum topic is not the right place to complain about that. The way I reach out to my community is off-topic. However, as there are a lot of people bringing it up, I will respond to it despite it being off-topic: I'm sending news to my community whenever I feel it is something relevant to the many people who are part of my community. The majority of these people are using cost-free versions of my product, or they use my source code, also cost-free. There is a detailed privacy policy that explains the news, and there is a button to turn them off. https://www.opencollar.at/privacy.html There are many businesses who abuse their customer lists to send them ads. My feature doesn't use any lists, or customer data at all. It is ethical and clean. Anyone can disable it. I'm trying to look out for those people in my community who are off the worst, and who need all help that they can get. If you are really this dissatisfied with that, and rather warp the topic at hand further instead of just turning off the news feature, you can always just not use my products. I don't care if you buy anything, or download anything for free. It doesn't matter to me if you choose another collar, AO, or whatever else was brought up. I don't benefit of this. You do because it adds content with fun features to your SL. I care for those artists who need my feature set so their beautiful creations can be and found more easily and made more appealing to customers by offering popular features. Now, I think it would be reasonable to return to the topic at hand, if you forgot what that was, you can always download the news item through your collar for the original link and read the original post. ❤️

I do that for several artists already, and did that for as long as our sim has been active.

Believe me as someone who has been contributing to open source on SL for over 10 years - personal gain and profit is the least I have in mind. 😊 I'm a content creator who supplies artists, and I know how small their shops are and how little they make.

Please read the original post and/or petition again: This is specifically about people who need the small income they made on SL now as their main income, as they cannot do any business in RL as artists due to the corona crisis.

I'm sure this wouldn't result in bankruptcy because many artists falling away due to financial issue during and after COVID-19 is a much greater loss. Please keep in mind that it is those people making the platform appealing, lending them a hand with lowered or waived fees during a crisis is a good thing, not a bad thing. The in-world shop is a very important mechanic for them to advertise and showcase their items. It's not a luxury expense at all. The Marketplace takes 10% commission per sale. It would be nice if that could be lowered or waived during the corona crisis.

The SL shopkeeper can't keep their SL shop when they have to let their sim go to get by this month, and then having lost all in-world business in the next month.

The petition asks for lowering or waiving these fees for those artists, and content creators in general, who earn the least and who struggle the most. It is not about anyone who uses SL for recreation, but for those who earn part of their living on SL.

Last Friday I started a petition where I'm asking Linden Research, Inc. and Tilia Inc. to consider lowering or waiving fees during the COVID-19 crisis: https://www.change.org/LowerFeesForArtistsSL As my petition isn't getting the momentum I had hoped for, I've decided to also open a topic here on the official forums. To summarize, I'm asking that any or all of these fees could be lowered or waived during the corona crisis: LindeX Exchange Fee Tilia Process Credit Fee Marketplace Seller Sales Commission Land Use Fees for Private Full Regions I am not asking that these fees are waived or lowered for everyone, nor that they are lowered or waived forever, as we all know that this isn't going to happen. I am asking specially for all of those who are within the 30-day economic limits tier "Resident 2", who usually make only a bit over 1,000 USD a month, and who are the most likely to be unable paying their sim rent, or worse end up unable to pay for their existential basics, such as rent, food and internet bill. The situation with quarantines and shutdowns is devastating for artists, virtual sex workers, indy coders, graphic designers and students who have a hard time making a living. It is devastating to all of those who don't get business right now, who won't get a paycheck and only bills - except for maybe the small amount that they can generate with their SL stint. They will need that now more than ever. Please consider signing my petition, and who knows, if it happens in some way I am sure that extending such a gesture will not only be positively remembered by an already quite critical and cynical community, but also give Linden Lab and Tilia Inc. an opportunity to be well reflected by the media, and creators have a greater incentive to stay on the platform and rely on it during these hard times. I don't want to step on anyone's foot, I know that some merchants who are in the higher tiers will be angry with me, but what I'm asking is really for those who are off the worst, not for those who earn more than 1,999 USD every month through SL anyway. I also know that Linden Lab has to care about their own employees first and foremost, which I respect very much. Still I think this is worth a shot. Please stay healthy. Sincerely, Wendy Starfall

I don't think that is where VAT happens, but all these numbers make my head confused. 😵 There are so many things that I don't understand now. For example, it makes no sense why this is happening right before the holiday season. I mean, how much worse could the timing be? I don't understand why the announcement for these changes had to be so strangely, weirdly upbeat but with a giganto-knot in the throat. Everything is called an improvement, but it all comes with a price tag? 😕 Does Linden Lab really think that we are now more inclined to pay for listing enhancements (-10%), now that we have the privilege of paying double the commission? I don't understand nothing anymore.

I don't see where I stated that Linden Lab should be blamed for VAT, or that my personal tax situation is the fault of Linden Lab. I did say no such thing. 😐 What I'm trying to point out is that many of us are now in a situation where more than half of what we earn is getting vaporized by fees and taxes. I'm not happy about the increase in fees for Marketplace sales and for processing credit. I think that these fees are too high. I don't think that increasing the Marketplace commission is fair toward creators, who keep jugging out fresh and interesting content for the Second Life world, and I found it to be shameless when Linden Lab talked about "...the Internet’s largest user-created virtual world Marketplace with more than 5 million items..." in the same breath. We are not indebted to Linden Lab for making their platform attractive with our ideas and original content, because without us and our content this would be a barren ghost world. Among other questions, one could ask themselves whether it still makes sense to invest time, energy and ideas in creating new content for the Second Life world or not, but for many of us it's not as simple as to "move on" to a different job because we already depend on our Second Life stores as a vital source of income. We sank years of work and effort into this. I'm not talking about the brands that are ran by pro business with high revenue. I am talking about the many little indy artists and coders, like me. The losers, misfits, school drop-outs, and all those others who worked their arses off to build all these many cool brands inside of Second Life. I opened this topic so I could learn how others feel about all this. It would be nice if people in similar situations wouldn't have to feel so alone.

I'm really sorry to hear that. I hope that the people who had to go can find new employment soon. 🙁 I clarified some of the tax stuff in my posts. A few years ago I had to sign a document called W-8BEN. The VAT is something we pay when we transact with Linden Lab (not when trading with other players with L$).