For what my opinion is worth, I think Linden Labs is horrible to nonprofits and the arts. I founded an RL 501c3 NonProfit that provides tremendous amounts of educational material to trauma survivors, and I took on the new VRE technology in SL to provide community and support for people worldwide with trauma. The cost of providing this benefit (free of charge to trauma survivors) keeps rising in SL...and creativity and art is a very important part of trauma recovery...The gamers and fun-bies have spoken, I suppose. Shame really. It seems many in SL condemn the arts and NPOs for "not staying afloat" financially, while they spam and market us to death, and always want a buck for "their" hobbies...hmmm...isn't it a pity?
It will be interesting when the veterans (approximately 150,000 in number) come home from the wars, and the war refugees immigrate to the US, all technologically astute, and many in SL, and face the non-caring gamers and role-players in SL and ask them: "So, what were you busy doing from 2001-2012?"
The virtual world will certainly become interesting then, aye?
Anya Ibor (SL)
RL: Colleen M. Crary, M.A.
Founder and Executive Director
FEARLESS NATION PTSD SUPPORT, Inc.
~ A 501c3 Non Profit Organization ~