Tari Landar

It may or may not help their case any, but I have participated in a study they did in sl in the past. The actual info they ask for, and you give them, isn't very personal, actually. In fact you don't give them any rl identifiable info(they didn't ask for rl name, email address, etc..) At any time you can say you don't want to answer a (or any) question and they will either end the interview, or move on to the next question. But it really was very simple, very quick(took longer to go over HOW to answer than it took to make it through the interview, as in they have to go over the instructions, they really do behave quite professionally with it, imo), definitely not what I thought it would be as far as how in depth they actually go with the questions. I only did it because they offered a $ incentive(just being honest here, lol). They definitely don't do these "studies" the way most people I've seen have done them in sl.

Phil Deakins wrote: I'm curious. Why would anyione want to park their unwanted breedables anywhere? Why not just delete them or take them into inventory like anything else? I've never even looked at a breedable, so it's a genuine question. Honest question, but not sure I can answer it fully(as someone who's dropped off a breedable that is, only they can answer for themselves, lol). I can offer maybe some insight though, based on what I've been told, and what I DO know. For some, breedables, are truly part of their roleplay experience in sl. For some it's like having that pet they never could(or can't) in real life. They take their "game" as it were(since most are designed as a game-within-sl, sort of deal) very seriously. For some taking care of their breedables is right on up there with taking care of any real life pet. They feed it, they take care of it, they keep it happy, they give it space to roam, in some cases they breed it, etc...They feel bad simply deleting, or keeping in inventory(in some cases this isn't even possible, keeping in inventory that is, not justf or lives but for some breedables over the years, it was also applicable with offspring). The same as they'd feel bad in real life, losing a pet, getting rid of a pet, etc.. They like to see them go to folks who would enjoy them. Much the same way that in both rl, and sl, people enjoy giving things away to others. If they wanted to sell it, I'm quite sure they'd find a way, but they don't.(and that alone is why I don't support anyone who charges for "adoptions", in that sense, but that's my personal hangup). So they find someone else, in the meantime, who can give their pet a home while it awaits another. I do have to say that most people, never go that route, they sell it, delete it, inventory it, or simply give it away on their own. It's not super often you'll find a LOT of people looking for a middle man, as far as giving breedables a new home that is. But those you do find, are genuinely looking to both aid another person who might be looking for X pet, as well as still taking their responsibility as a pet owner seriously. They truly are immersed in their roleplay. I find it not only interesting, but also endearing, in fact sometimes I downright admire folks for having that level of dedication, even in a pixel world. But I apply the same to a lot of roleplay I find in sl. That said, I know most say "it's just pixels", so, yeah, can save that shpeal, lol. People DO know this and understand it, I don't think most are daft enough to *not* realize this point. But their choices as far as roleplay are as important to them as yours are to you(and this isn't pointed at you Phil, but rather just a general statement, because I'm quite sure the comment will come, from someone ). For some their pixel relations are beyond super cereal...we're talking snap crackle and pop here, so it stands to reason that others out there in the wide world o'second life, also have their super cereal roleplay...stuff, too. For some pixel children are a big deal. For some pixel sex is. For others pixel sports, pixel drunken brawls, and even pixel...you get the picture. I'm not poking fun at roleplay, just pointing out that it comes in all shapes, sizes and kinds, with all levels of dedication and seriousness, dependent entirely upon the player(s). Breedables, are no exception to that rule

The reason people are sketchy, ok one reason, is because these places, and this concept has been around since the first breedable hit the market. Tons of people do it, tons open places like this. Some with ulterior motives, some without. People have good reason to be wary of such places(more times than not the folks running them don't have the best intentions, sorry to say it, but it's true). I've done similar things since I owned my first sion chickens(which was longer ago than I'd care to say ), But I only actually had a physical place where people could drop off for a short while. I simply used land I was already using for my own breeding, but a different area for the "rescues". Eventually people knew who I was, and where I was, so having a physical presence wasn't needed. I turned that part of my land into something else, but I maintained the "rescue" operation in sorts. People still knew where I was and how to find me, in fact they still do, when they're looking for something I might have. I like it better this way, because then people KNOW I have no ulterior motives. People hand me unwanted breedables all the time, than I reach out to others and find them good homes. Sometimes it takes longer than I wish, sometimes it doesn't. But I always find them somewhere else to go. Those who have dropped off with me can verify by checking their own records that I didn't "breed" them while they were in my care-which is a concern for some, that you only want to "rescue" so YOU can get them for free and breed them for free. (then profit off them, or their offspring, basically). I don't get nearly as many as I used to, but I still get them, more often than not it's offspring people drop off, and not lives. Because, as you see, getting rid of lives is uber easy.Well getting rid of offspring is too, but I suppose they believe somewhere out there, someone can benefit, they just don't want to go through the work of finding that person. There have been a LOT of "adoption" type places for breedables come and go over the years. The majority of them were run by sketchy people. A few more known ones were shut down, because of those sketchy people. You can't be surprised when you come forward with an idea like that, and people give you negative feedback. It's going to happen. Actually, regardless of the business you want to open, you should expect negative feedback. In fact, I would encourage people to critique the ideas, the concepts and such with an open mind, and that includes sometimes getting comments you don't want to hear. I figure if a person starting a business can't take all the comments, good, bad and yeah sometimes even ugly, they're better off knowing it BEFORE they hit the ground running. It won't feel like a failure when you step back to re-realize your ideas and think a little harder on it, than if you had already opened and had to close down shop because you just couldn't do it. Too many people go into business with blinders on(not necessarily you, just general), including some of the bigger names out there in Sl today. They too, don't take criticism well and over time I think they're realizing it's not the wisest move, because their customer base just isn't what it used to be. To be honest I sometimes wonder how some of them got to be as well known as they are. It's not typically the quality of the product they produce, but something about that product and every Tom Dick and Harry knowing your "brand". I digress.... Suffice it to say, expect negativity. Expect people to believe you don't likely have the best intentions, especially if you charge anything at all. Expect to stand firm, if you do have the best intentions. Understand that your predecessors have paved the way for you and not all of them did a great job of it. Understand that you're not the first, these places and the people who do this, are a dime a dozen. Those not doing it for profit, will tell you the good, bad and ugly about it. Those doing it to break even on food/upkeep, won't likely mention most of the good and will tell you how hard it is. Those doing it for profit will make it sound absolutely horrible so they can turn you off the idea, you're cutting into their turf, you shouldn't expect anything more from them.(and no that doesn't mean anyone giving any sort of advice on the subject will always fit into one of those categories, but most do) I enjoy what I do, as far as rehoming such things is concerned. What I like about it most, is that in almost a year and a half, this is the most I've spoken publicly about it. I prefer to do it quietly, from behind the scenes. That's why I do it to begin with-because I actually enjoy the "job" so to speak. Word of mouth works better than anything else ever could, or ever will for that matter. People put their trust in me, that my intentions are good, and I like that. I don't charge people for the things I do have. I see absolutely no point in that, for me. I'm rehoming them, why would I need to charge people? Yeah I don't get it, lol. Especially since if someone wants to pay $10L for something, there are thousands of them out there for the finding, they don't need to come to little me for a "$10L rescue" pet when they can go on a search and find that perfect one on their own.

Innula Zenovka wrote: I don't see any necessary connection between the number of people who can see mesh and whether or not it's a good idea to make mesh goods easier to find in the marketplace. While we can debate about number who can see mesh, the fact of the matter is that a not-inconsiderable number of people certainly can, that there are plenty of viewers that now support it, and mesh could certainly be made easier to find. The fact of the matter is that -- as someone who is quite interested in seeing what's available in mesh -- I find it considerably easier to use SLU's new products section, where I can easily filter for mesh (and not get hundreds of listings for stockings) than do I find it to use the search tools available in the marketplace. And this seems to me unfortunate. There is a difference between showcasing something(which seemed more as the suggestion), and making it easier to find, though(I think they should make all sorts of things easier to find, not just mesh. I don't find it special enough in it's own right to deserve more attention than other things, in other words-but that's just my opinion). I don't quite believe the lab knows what balance actually is, so I don't put much hope in them doing it in that area either. It's all or nothing with them, too often.

Ceka Cianci wrote: Innula Zenovka wrote: Cat Slade wrote: And to above posters - there are plenty of viewers that don't 'see' mesh yet. LL's 1.23 doesn't see mesh, and neither does Imprudence (I think) nor old versions of Phoenix. Which other ones don't? ya i see a lot of people that didn't even know that a phoenix upgrade would be letting them see mesh..a lot think they have to switch to the newer viewers to see it .. so most may be just an upgrade away from seeing mesh.. Yep, that's the biggest "culprit" of all, imo. If you honestly don't believe there are plenty of people out there using a viewer that cannot see mesh, I don't know what to tell you. I run into them all the time. For some, it may be that the mesh viewers simply aren't working so grand on their systems, like me. I HAVE a mesh viewer and only use it to go into the realms, which I need to dumb everything way down on the viewer to prevent myself from crashing(and everything looks like a playdough creation my child made when she was 2. That's just the way it is for me. I prefer phoenix and that's my usual viewer, not an updated version either. I like what I've got, it works fabulous and I can have the graphics and such set even higher without any problems. I don't want to have to change my viewer just so I can see playdough. Mesh just doesn't look right on my system. Eventually I'll have a better system, but right now I do not. I'm glad to have a system at all though So it doesn't bother me in the least.

Innula Zenovka wrote: Tari Landar wrote: Showcasing mesh when the majority of your customers(and even more of your potential customers) cannot even see or make use of it, would not only be a waste of time, but also just give more cause for people to wonder what exactly the powers that be are doing up(down?) there. I'm not sure your figures are right there. According to Charlar Linden, on the 19th, "it looks like 55% of users logging in are running mesh capable viewers.." It's not quite clear when those figures were collated, but since Phoenix had released their mesh capable viewer only a week before, the figure must be higher now than then it was. I've seen the figures, and I don't believe them. I'd like to, but I don't, lol. I don't believe they take into account the people who then change viewers, or crash repeatedly because the viewer isn't really compatible with their system(as it's set up, could be any number of reasons why). So many people *still complain that despite trying, those viewers didn't work out for them. So, yeah, I believe the number of people actually *consistantly* using mesh capable viewers is much smaller than they'd like us to believe.

Sometimes I wonder... Does it ever occur to people that the issue may not actually be the site? (rarer things have happened!) or that perhaps... The site has a lot of people using it all at once and every.single.time that happens, things slow down a bit(no website is immune to this, period) Yeah MP has it's issues but come on, lol. Folks need to use a wee bit of common sense. The lab may have it's faults too and I'm not usually one to stick up for them in most areas(they can stand on their own), but there really are some things they can't fully control, lol. MP worked peachy for me today, and those buying from me as well. There have been plenty of times in the past when it hasn't worked for me. But my first reaction isn't "OMGAW LL you suck!!". Sheesh.

Showcasing mesh when the majority of your customers(and even more of your potential customers) cannot even see or make use of it, would not only be a waste of time, but also just give more cause for people to wonder what exactly the powers that be are doing up(down?) there. I do like the themes, as we've had them in the past. Though I never actually go to the main marketplace splash page(I have a saved bookmark on a different page, lol), I know it would appeal to at least some people. The whole vampire thing is, imo, beyond overdone right now anyway and should slowly fade back to where it was.(but that's just a personal preference thing really). I like that they have special categories during certain times of the year, like the winter fest. It's nice if you're looking for items in a general theme but not real sure what exactly, so you don't have a specific category in mind. I've shopped for gifts like that plenty of times. Actually I've shopped for building supplies like that too. I do think that, when these "themes" are up on the MP they should take focus of the splash page. That is, if they aren't going to allow us to control what splash pages/options we make use of(which would be a far better idea, imo). I don't think there should ever be a specific, I guess it's a genre, like the vampire thing currently does. It just seems a bit skewed, even above and beyond my own personal opinion of the whole shpeal. I do agree that some of those ads they have on that page look rather outdated. BUT, I don't mind. There are plenty of people in-world who don't go for(aren't looking for) the newest craze, fad, newest skins and looks. Some folks really enjoy, I guess what some would call an "older" look. Until recently I had the same skin since shortly after I made this particular av, and that skin was made a long time before I bought it. I like that skin. Even if others think it looks outdated(I don't think it does at all). So I guess what I'm trying to say is, we don't always need the newest, shiniest, current fad/craze/whatever, tossed at us. Sometimes the, I guess, "classic" look/feel is more appropriate for your target audience. So a good balance is in order there. But that's only specific to the linden created images/splash ads, NOT the merchant created ones that direct you to an actual product/merchant store. I don't give a fig what other merchants do as far as their ads go, it's not my place to judge or criticize. LL, yeah, they could do better in that area, but they've proven beyond a reasonable doubt that they do not excell in this area, lol. I don't like most linden sponored events they rarely ever appeal to me and the few that have did not really go as planned. But again, personal preference, and I know others DO enjoy them. By events, I mean ones you have to actually physically attend and all be in the same place for a set amount of time(like a show, party, things like this). I like the ones that involve other things like the egg decorating, some of the hunts, stuff that doesn't require me to stand around with umpteen more avs and likely crash repeatedly. I am rather enjoying linden realms right now(and it's the ONLY reason I even downloaded firestorm, because you can't play without a mesh viewer, and I really wanted to see it-it doesn't live up to the hype as far as how it looks, but functionality wise it's not too bad if I dumb my viewer way down, lol..good way to kill some time and make some $ , but I won't go anywhere but the realms with that viewer, I don't like it) So I can definitely see some benefit to MORE of this sort of thing that might offer just something a little extra for those looking. However, I doubt we'll see it anytime soon. They don't tend to listen very well, or at least take what they DO listen to..to heart. I wish they would. Even some of the most minor changes could change the opinion of someone still sitting on the fence. But..sigh, what can ya do. Maybe the new-ish, CEO will do better in all of these areas, or well at least find people to do better, lol. I'd like to hope so. I'm willing to give him a chance. (who am I kidding, I'm not going anywhere, anytime soon regardless, lol)

I don't think it's wise to assume someone is "farming freebies" simply because they want to offer such a thing to *their customers. Nor is it ever wise to assume the worst of someone right from the word go(this is my personal opinion, like it or not, I'd rather assume the best of someone and be proven wrong down the road than assume the worst and be proven wrong-because the latter would make me a bit of a jerk, at best). There are plenty of people who create things specifically so that others can give(or sell) them, that includes freebies as well. Personally I don't see anything wrong with offering free items, and places like freebie stores that offer nothing but freebies-at least the general idea of it. What I do have a bit of an issue with(personal beef, is more like it) is the places that all offer the *same stuff that can be found elsewhere. That, I don't find productive, or even helpful really. But offering items that residents-especially newer ones, though they are definitely not the only ones who can/do/will benefit, can get at little to no cost has been profoundly helpful to many all across the grid over the years. The presumption that offering them makes one somehow a lesser individual or at the very least someone doing something terrible, is a very poor one indeed. Maybe you, personally, have never benefitted from any freebie whatsoever(I find that hard to believe, though I won't assume, so I'll take your(generic) word for it) and been able to pass that benefit on to another, but there are lots all over the grid who do just that. They seem to do a fine job of it too. Just because there may be a bad apple in the barrel, doesn't mean they've all gone sour!

funkilicous wrote: Thank you all for responding If I may ask another question I want to start a small freebie shop but none of the freebie stuff I get have textures,how do these huge freebie places do it? You can take your own pictures of the items. That's how a lot of people do it. But if I may add something here(and it might not be a popular opinion, sorry), I would shy away from reselling(this includes giving for $0-$1L too) all the freebies you find elsewhere. I say that because everyone and their mother, is already doing it. It won't make people like your place more than another. I'm guessing you at least want to draw people in, hence the desire to give something nice. My advice is to either find unique freebies(that you have permission to resell, and that is a VERY important bit of info, always check that you have resell permissions please) that don't already exist in every other freebie store/lot on the grid. OR, an even better solution, contact merchants. I know it seems odd to contact people you've never spoken to before, on a whim and ask for free items, but I assure you it WILL work if you do it right. I've responded to people who've asked both here on the forums, as well as in-world, looking for items to either give to patrons, or in some cases resell even. I personally, don't look down on people who contact me asking me for "free stuff" as it were. Why? Eh, I like supporting the little guy, probably because I still am one and will likely always be a small fish in a big ocean. I know how hard it is to get a business up and running, so when I get the opportunity to help someone else out, I do. Let us not forget it's also advertising for the merchants who participate too, so it's really a win-win. You may find some merchants who disagree and aren't willing to help. Eh, it happens, you move on to the next one. As long as your approach is at least somewhat professional(l33t speek will not help in this case, if english isn't your first language please be prepared to tell the merchants you are contacting up front about this, they'll understand trust me, be concise about what you intend to do with the items and why you want them, invite the merchant by way of a slurl or LM to visit where you'll have their item(s) out, things like this will tell merchants you're serious and not just out looking for free junk from every merchant you can find). That is, assuming you can't make your own merchandise(also a grand idea, it never hurts to brush up on/learn some building skills and create that which you'd like to offer).

Peggy Paperdoll wrote: Doesn't "copy to inventory work"? It works, as in it puts the textures in invetory, but the textures will still pop up on your screen(at least they did when I got this system and forgot to change that setting in phoenix, but that was a while ago, it may be different now)

Yep it's a setting in your preferences. Edit-preferences-popups, disable the box that says automatically view after accepting. I'm not sure why the default setting is to view, it shouldn't be. (for that reason)

The mesh category thing will likely be a bit before we see it. There's just not much out there, yet. I'm sure we will see it in the future though. On the sculpt items, there actually are categories already, they are under marketplace-building components-sculpted prims creators tools-and the various categories are here. There's another place where you'll find sculpts and such under marketplace-building components-building aids-sculpted prims. That was the original place sculpt items were to be placed. The sculpted prims creators tools category was added later on(I want to say over a year ago now, but I honestly can't remember exactly when). When I go looking for sculpts, I check both places. One is organized, the other is not. I think a lot of creators tend to stick them in the sculpted prims creators tools category more often than not(and if you get a sculpt item yanked for being in the wrong category, this is where you have to put it in order to relist/fix the problem). I believe at one time some linden employee said those two categories would be merged and optimized but, well, yeah we knot that's not likely to happen either.

Canoro Philipp wrote: im gonna bring this in order to have more perspectives over the possible uses and misuses of the trending feature of the feeds: griefing lets say someone have something against someone, she was cheated in a relationship, or has a business competitor, and decides to post something really negative (griefer style) about that person or company, has some alts to love the griefing a lot, and that post remains top trending unless some other post have more loves. advertising a company offers a promotion that anyone who gives love to a product post, get a discount over it. and the more people love it, the more it stays for everyone to see. The griefing is going to happen regardless of how many "loves" it requires, because humans are involved and frankly not all humans can behave themselves like adults. I still don't see what's wrong with the advertising or how it's considered "gaming". Using the feeds as a promotional tool doesn't exactly seem like a bad thing to me. Perhaps it's because I see people using all sorts of avenues given to them by LL for promoting their products/services and rarely do we see anyone complaining about it. If everyone and their mother is given the exact same tools, but fails to use them, they've no one to blame but themselves. There's a pretty easy solution to the "problem" though, you can ignore what you don't want to see, lol. It's not a difficult concept.

Maryanne Solo wrote: Well the self loving in public is nothing really new. Especially for the mutual admiration society yes. Interesting how people banned from inworld can help the self lovers isnt it? Weird stuff indeed. There is a wonderful solution of course Skyrim! wewt! LOL. @Tari LMAO now that is hilarious. "Someones friends are more popular than others" wasnt it?, What a classic! Why the need for self loving then? < and thats forums & slums in a nutshell really. Thath all folks - Boomtish! Awww Dres. :matte-motes-crying: I don't know why the need for self loving. I still don't understand why you care, either. You haven't exactly done a very good job of explaining WHY this is such a huge issue that it makes you throw a verbal virtual tanturm over it.

jujmental wrote: Tari Landar wrote: In order for someone to be "gaming" something, don't they have to prosper from in it some way? Though typically it's a monetary gain, it can apply to other gains too, I suppose. Do you understand the concept of advertising? The Judge /knows that half his advertising is wasted //so he doubles his free advertising. ROFL, umm yeah I know what advertising is. But most of the "trending" isn't advertising in the least, unless people are selling their opinions for lindens now and that's what they are advertising(interesting concept, I guess, but I don't see it being very lucrative). Aside from that the OP seems more like a whine about the fact that what some has to say seems more popular than what others have to say, and this person believes it should take more for something to be "popular". In other words, a virtual tantrum that someone else has more friends than you do. At least that's exactly how it reads *to me*. I still don't understand what reason one would have for getting all butthurt over something like this, lol. Aside from the fact that it sounds like an adult version of a toddler's "you don't like me" tantrum, I think the amount of people that actual use(or even look at) mysecondlife is pretty negligible anyway. So, again, what reason is there to rant in a huff about psuedo-popularity? Apparently getting ticked about people getting more "likes" than you is a popular thing to do on FB as well(so I've been told, lol)

In order for someone to be "gaming" something, don't they have to prosper from in it some way? Though typically it's a monetary gain, it can apply to other gains too, I suppose. So please explain to me how people are going to prosper from trending? Is it their psuedo-popularity you take issue with....or....? Yeah I'm lost, throw up a flare please because I have no friggen clue where you were trying to lead me, you lost me on gaming. I don't really use facebook(other than to sign up for rl freebies and junk ), I definitely do not use twitter, and I use my.secondlife.(or whatever it's called) even less. So you're going to have to dumb things way down for me. What exactly is it you take issue with? More importantly than that, WHY do you take issue with it? Even more importantly than that, why should *I* take issue with it? I mean if you're going to propose we take issue with something, stands to reason you should also explain it. I'm all for taking up new causes, but not when I don't understand what on earth is being discussed. Personally(and I mean absolutely no offense to those who use these outlets), I don't particularly give a rat's left nut who likes, loves, trends, follows, whatever....what another posts. I don't understand why anyone would, lol.

The nicest compliment I've ever gotten came in the form of a few simple words regarding something in my profile. It's hard to explain exactly why it was the nicest compliment but it came at a time that a few kind words really meant more than anything else could. It was also about something that means a great deal to me. Sometimes I think people underestimate the value and power of words. A simple phrase can turn a person's day right around(in either direction). You really never know what impact your words will have. All too often people are afraid, for whatever reason, to say what's really on their mind. I'm a profile perv by nature, I admit it, I have issues. I tend to read profiles, just because. No real reason other than simple curiosity. I figure if it's in there, it's because that person wants it read, so I do. It used to be a very rare occasion when I'd actually make a comment to someone about anything in their profile. Until someone said something to me, that is. Granted the person who said it is someone I actually know and have known for a while now, but it still felt pretty good to hear. Since then I have had a couple other similar comments, and it still makes me smile. Not just the words they choose to send my way, but the simple fact that they took time out of their day to not only notice me but also felt compelled to share their thoughts. Like I said, hard to explain exactly why it was the nicest, and best compliment I've ever gotten, but it really is.

I don't know what the official stance is, but I *never* geta popup, it's always embedded any time I have to log in to any of the official pages. I wouldn't trust a popup.

Liisa Runo wrote: "i didnt steal this object, im just using it" == "i didnt kidnap this baby, im just raping it in my basement" That is one of the nastiest comments I've seen here in some time. You seriously believe the two are equal? They're not even on the same planet much less zip code. Statements like that will make people simply take nothing you say seriously. That's just wrong on so many levels. Ftr. people have been doing(or trying to) whatever they could to stop stolen content on the grid since the day it began(which was long before most people were ever in sl to begin with). Simply put you CANNOT stop it 100%, ever. As someone else said, the technology does not exist. Also you have to remember that not everyone who posesses something stolen, actually knows it IS stolen. Sure there are plenty out there who do know. But don't throw the baby out with the bath water simply because you're on a power trip and ban hungry(that's not to say anyone in particular is, but, should you find yourself in that situation, it would be applicable). That won't serve anyone any amount of good and certainly won't help solve the problem. Surprisingly(well not so in my opinion, but it is the opinion of others I've seen) I have seen a LOT less botted content in the last year. That's not to say it's gone, it never will be completely gone. But once people slow their role and bring their ramblings down to a dull roar instead of screaming from the rooftops about the injustice of it all....the copybotters get bored and go home. There aren't nearly as many now as there used to be. It was once a MUCH larger problem than it is now. Giving them all the love and attention they want by showing them just how fed up/angry you are, is simply going to provide all the nourishment they need to keep right on truckin'. If you believe you must, or simply want to, ban someone from your parcel, I strongly suggest doing so quietly. Why? Because not doing so quietly pretty much guarantees that a genuine copybotter is going to continue, and likely up the stakes even. Like I said, you'd be feeding them exactly what they want. I've had numerous things I created botted over the years. In fact someone does it on a regular basis with some of my textures. Eh. What can I do? I'm not really losing much by "allowing them"(and by allowing I simply mean by not persuing things legally, which is something I am frankly not interested in investing money in. I HAVE spoken with this person, quite kindly, but this person doesn't much care). They certainly aren't taking my customers away, or taking food out of my kids' bellies. So, I leave well enough alone. I learned my lesson the very first time I made a stink about it. I ended up with trouble up one side, back down the other and right through my gut. It wasn't worth it. I ended up unintentionally causing my own self more grief because I was doing exactly what they wanted me to(and didn't realize it at first). No I'm not telling people they shouldn't persue legal counsel or legal action-or any other action they deem necessary. What I AM saying is know what you're doing and what the likely consequences are before you jump in head first. If you think getting rid of one copybotter by having them banned, filing legal action, contacting SL, making a big public to do about it is actually going to stop people from botting your stuff(and more importantly that person, who likely has friends with the same knowledge), you are sadly quite mistaken. It won't stop them. As someone else pointed out, those people are pretty darn good at what they do. They know how to get around just about every barrier you can throw their way. I wish that weren't the case, but it really is. Every now and then the whole copybotting thing gets brought back out of it's cave and every single time it gets heated you'll notice the instances of botted things popping up on the grid grow. That's no coincidence, lol. For me when I find things I KNOW are botted(know as in, I have actual proof in my hands or at the ready that is, and can back up my statements with said proof) I let the person know. I do it in a kind non-judgmental way. I don't confront. I don't accuse. I don't get snippy. I don't threaten. I simply inform. Nothing more and nothing less. What they do with that info, is on them. If they know it's botted, they won't care and will likely just dismiss me..and that's that(and I don't/won't do anything to continue the conversation with them, either). If they don't know, they very well may converse with me on the matter(not always, but sometimes, I actually met a really great friend that way once, but I digress..). They're more likely to take it down, delete, turn in the person they bought it from, etc... if they didn't know. But whether or not they do know, if I come across confrontational, on a power trip with my banhammer at the ready and I make this known to them...well, like I said, it's simply going to quench their thirst. They aren't likely to stop. Not to mention, for me, I would feel as if I am stooping, if I did behave like that. That's not good, not for me anyway. I'd prefer to leave well enough alone and not give them any more reason to come back, if you catch my drift.

Your first mistake is asking for advice and then calling what you get(and the people who give it to you) close minded. There is a reason why people tell you what does and does not work for others. In the club scene if you attempt to go all off the wall right from the word go, without even having any butts in the seats(feet on the floor in this case), you're more likely to fail. You need people in your club to really get it advertised. Patrons will be your biggest asset, but not if you can't get them in there first. Offering something that is comfortable, inviting and FAMILIAR will at least draw them in. Offering something so off the wall different the day you open might temporarily draw them in, but then you'll have to work even harder to keep them(and also gain more). If you start with something people are naturally drawn to(again with that whole familiar thing), you can build upon it. If you start at the top of your idea ladder, you've got nowhere else to go. I suggest you start more in the middle. Use what works for others to your advantage, and leave what doesn't alone. Asking people what they think about something and then insulting them by saying it wasn't what you wanted to hear, or that they are somehow doing *you* a disservice, isn't likely to get you far.(sorry if that's blunt but it's quite true, never ask for advice if you don't really want to accept it). Find a few things you can do differently(but not so wildly different that people will wonder what you're smoking), but don't lose the familiar, comfortable feeling. You can always go up, get bigger, get better and improve upon it over time, as long as you don't aim to begin at the top of the ladder. That's been one of the biggest downfalls of every single "different" club I've ever seen in SL. They only draw a crowd for a short time because they've got nothing MORE to offer once they are on the floor. So why would people stay, they can get the same thing and more from places they love to visit elsewhere. I can tell you some of the things that keep me from going to 99% of clubs in sl. Most club owners get offended when you tell them this though. Frankly I think some of them ought to take the advice of more of their patrons and they'd probably be even more successful(or heck even successful at all, for those that really aren't). Gestures-Don't tell your staff to use them...EVER, they're annoying. It's bad enough when patrons use them. Staff using them is EXTREMELY non-personal, it's commercial, it's a turn off, plain and simple.(and the ones asking for tips, yeah that's going to guarantee you won't get a tip from me...ever). If your staff can't take the time to actually converse with their audience without using gestures, they may not be the best fit for the job. This is where training comes into play.I highly recommend you implement a no gesture policy. Very few people actually enjoy them in clubs. Rules-If your venue has them ENFORCE them, and that goes double for ALL staff. If they can't follow the rules and lead by example, don't expect that all your patrons will either. Events-If you intend to have them, make them worthwhile. I realize that it's sort of difficult to stray from the norms as far as club events are concerned(and some might tell you they are tired of the same old same old), you CAN actually pull off the same *type of events, and still make them different. Try it sometime. You can have a "best in..." type of contest and not be the same as every other club on the block. They key is how creative you get with not only the contest, but the prize. Sure everyone loves lindens, and that can be a huge draw(if it's worth it) but try offering something others don't, or can't. Yes that means *you* need to get creative. Better yet, put your staff to work and let them get their creative juices flowing. They may mean contacting merchants in sl to see if they'd like to assist. It's great exposure for merchants, especially lesser known ones, as well as yourself and your club. It really is a win-win. But you can't simply IM merchants with "hey we havin a contest, you wanna help?"...no that won't really get you far either, lol. You need to be a bit more professional than that. Even if your club is going to be more casual, informal, etc.. you still need to treat it like it's a business in some ways(this would be one of them). Staff-Hire people that are actually interested in both the industry and your venue, not just the money you're willing to pay them. Expect a lot of them, but be prepared to train them too. Don't simply hire anyone in off the street because that's exactly the kind of work you will get. Offer a probation type period for the first month. See how well they do with the tasks they're given and THEN decide if they'll work out as a permanent employee. I'm not saying you can't, or shouldn't hire newbies. In fact the club scene is where a lot of newbies get their first real "work" experience in sl, so it's actually not a bad idea at all. But you NEED to train them. Don't just toss them out on the floor with a notecard of what to say when, or what to do when. You're setting them, your club and yourself up for failure from the word go. Your staff will be key in keeping the mojo going in your club so it stands to reason you'd need them to be on their game at all times. I recommend having backups too. Real life happens sometimes and there may be times when your regular staff can't be there. Having someone on call elswhere in the world will guarantee that your show will go on(or event, whatever). The build-Going overboard is a bad idea. Keep it simple. Tons of lights, flashing, particles, dance balls everywhere, spread out over a huge area with stores all over within 50m or so of the club...are all HORRID ideas(not the only ones, but some of the biggest, imo). Your build doesn't have to be overly unique to be special. In fact while the build can draw some in, it won't be what KEEPS them there. So putting a little less effort(and therefore prims, scripts, textures, etc...which contribute to client side lag...I'll get to that in a minute) in the actual build, and more into the atmosphere created by the staff, will likely hold an audience far longer than some magnificent build no one can move in. Lag-Well this is sl and lag is a reality, especially in areas with multiple avs. You can't really control what people wear to your venue. You can set rules, and enforce them, but you need to realize that by doing so, you're also limiting your audience. So if you DO set rules, I recommend not making them too strict. Server lag is something that will affect all of your club goers. There are some things you can to tohelp prevent, or at least slow it down a bit. Making sure your objects don't use too much of the sim's resources is going to be your biggest help in that area. This is where keeping things simple comes into play. Client side lag is something you can't control as easily. Because it varies and it will only affect the person "feeling" it. But playing it off as if it's something you have absolutely no control over, isn't going to go over well, either. So if you have patrons complaining about lag, or issues, see what you can possibly do to aid them(again, staff training in this area is a plus). Know what things can and do create both server side and client side lag, teach these things to your staff and make sure all of you(including club goers) know ways to help aid this. Clubs are some of the worst lag pits in sl, and it's mostly because people go into it with little to no knowledge of what they can and cannot do(or should and should not do) to both prevent and cure it. Most clubs have far too many scripted objects in them. Scripted objects that don't need to be running 24/7, should be shut off/taken into inventory, whenever possible. Remember every move you, your staff and your attendees make, DOES have an effect on both the sim as well as other avs in the area. Be mindful of your footprint. If you are not on a full sim by yourself, you need to be even more mindful of the others also sharing your sim. There's a club on one of the sims I am on and it's HORRID as far as lag is concerned. Absolutely terrible, and they don't really care. I'm not certain they even know what they're doing to be honest. It's the third one that's been built there in the last 4 months, lol. It won't last long I think that's long enough. Take what you will and leave the rest. But as someone who absolutely loathes most clubs in sl, but still frequently checks them out "just to see", I am quite certain that I know what I do and do not like. I know what I can SEE works and does not work, what can be improved upon and what is near perfection. When asked for advice, I give it honestly, but perhaps sometimes blunt. I don't think you need someone to sugar coat it for you. Just like you don't need someone to tell you how much it will cost, it's quite apparent and that's the first thing everyone and their mother will tell you anyway.

If you do a search in-world for changing rooms you'll find a ton of nice places too. One of the people who posts on these forums has one, Melita Magic. I'm pretty sure it's in her profile.

During a shopping trip recently while waiting on someone I stared for a good 15 minutes wondering what it would be like if I could just left click, buy, and have things sent to my home where they'd be waiting for me(I hate shopping). Same goes for being able to take copies of things, how cool would that be? Or being able to toss out prims and manipulate them right before my eyes into anything I desire, with very little work involved. I have frequent flying dreams too. I actually attribute this to the fact that I do not drive so being able to fly for real would be wicked awesome for me in more ways than one and leave me less dependent on others to get places. So in my dreams I'm always flying practical places, like the doctor or grocery shopping. I even have an awesome flying vehicle (since I have rl kids, they need to be able to come too, lol). It's sad how detailed those dreams really get sometimes.

There is the ability to do thumb up, it's how I make thumbsucking animations. But I can't recall seeing a hitchiking animation anywhere. I'd try contacting some animation creators that do customs. A lot will say in their profiles how to go about discussing customs, some have mailboxes in their stores, or you can simply drop a nc on someone and ask about it. It might cost you a pretty penny, depending on who you ask. Or you can play with one(or more) of the free animation tools available and make it yourself. It's pretty easy with QAvimator, and it's free. http://www.qavimator.org/

Freecilla Kuhn wrote: Ok, so I tried it and there is a way to search by rating, under General only the results came back as over 500 pages at 12 per page. That seems like a great of variety to choose from to me. So it doesn't seem to be that all Christmas trees are in the adult catagory only. She didn't say all trees were, or even that all of HER trees were. The problem she was having is that SOME of her trees(ones she sells, ones she listed) were showing as mature/adult and she couldn't figure out why because they are not. But she's found her solution so all is well again. YAY And yes it can be an interesting and painfully long process trying to figure out exactly which words set off the "adult words" alarm. The longer your descriptions, the more likely you are to run into the problem too(just based on sheer volume of text and the fact that we have no friggen clue which obscure words are on there, lol)