Erwin Solo

I tested, and this feature does hide avatars at all heights--for example in skyboxes.

Now, let's do the math for a Linden Home provided "free" with a premium account. The premium account cost US$72 year if you pay by the year, divided by 52 weeks = US$1.385 per week. At an exchange rate of L$255 per US$, this works out to a cost of L$353 per week. However, the premium account holder gets L$300 per week stipend from their premium account, for a net cost of L$53 per week (= L$353 - L$300). Then, the premium account holder gets a home and nice landscaping on a 512 square meter lot plus an allocation of 117 prims. So, the premium account holder's cost is L$53 per week divided by 117 prims = L$0.45 per prim per week.

Now, let's repeat for the case where you are at Quarter SIM tier. The math works like this: US$75/month * L$255/US$ * 12 month/year / 52 weeks = L$4413.5 per week for Quarter SIM tier on mainland. Then, if you hold a Quarter SIM plus another tenth (i.e., 1.1 * 0.75 SIM) as allowed by the group bonus, you get 1.1 * 15000/4 = 16500/4 = 4125 prims. Then, your cost per prim is L$4413.5 per week / 4125 prims = L$1.07 per prim per week, as your cost. So, if you rent for L$1/prim per week (for all prims including improvements like skyboxes and landscaping) and maintain a 100% occupancy (average over time), you only loose a little each month. Specifically, you take in L$4125 and you pay out L$4413.5, for a loss of L$288.5 per week. If you have an occupancy of say 70%, and you use 100 prims for each of your 15 lots (1500 prims total) for skyboxes and signs and such, then you will be renting 2625 prims (= 4125 - 1500), and receiving an income of L$1 per prim * 2625 prims * 70% occupancy (averaged over time) for a gross income of L$1837.5 (averaged over time). When you subtract your L$4413.5 per week tier from your L$1837.5 income, you yield a net loss of L$2576 per week.

FYI, if you are at full SIM tier on the mainland and hold the 1.1 SIMs allows by the 10% group bonus, then your cost is L$0.695 per prim per week at a L$255 to US$1 exchange rate. So, if you are able to charge L$1 per prim per week for __all__ the prims (including the ones you provide in home and landscaping), and maintain a 70% occupancy, then you roughly break even (counting your time as free). The math works like this: US$195/month * L$255/US$ * 12 month/year / 52 weeks = L$11475 per week for full SIM tier on mainland. Then, if you hold a full SIM plus another tenth (i.e., 1.1 SIM) as allowed by the group bonus, you get 1.1 * 15000 = 16500 prims. Then, your cost per prim is L$11475 per week / 16500 prims = L$0.695 per prim per week, as your cost. So, if you rent for L$1/prim per week and maintain a 69.5% occupancy (average over time), you break even.

I looked, but it has been resold. I do see one parcel here with a donut hole cut in the middle of it. Consider that noncontiguous parcels can be joined to report as one in the land tools. Consider that it is possible to cut out a donut hole from a parcel. Those two techniques plus combinations of them can lead to some weird things.

I've held an island homestead SIM in the past, and now have a full SIM worth of mainland scattered across several parcels. On the balance, I'd say that if you are not sure, then rent/buy a SIM of island from one of the larger estate holders (not sure if I'm allowed to name names here). "Renting" island land from a major estate holder is a lot like buying. You get full region rights. You can try your idea with little money down. IM me if you need some names.

I think the public sandboxes serve to encourage anyone that can afford to do so, to buy their own land. Thus, the griefers contribute to the marketing objective. Thus, everything is as it should be. If my analysis is correct, everything will stay as it is. If my analysis is incorrect, some of these other ideas will be quickly implemented. Time will tell. Oh, maybe it already has?

When you deed single-avatar-owned land to group, the land credits automatically transfer to your group upon the execution of the deeding action. So, it is not necessary to pre-allocate the land credits in your group. The only case that I know of that you can't deed to a group, is when you are attempting to deed the land under a Linden Home to a group, in which case you'll encounter the situation just as you describe.

Sorry about that. G land is pretty hard to sell. I keep being tempted by nice waterfront G parcels on auction, but so far have resisted.

You can also "join" noncontiguous parcels into a single logical parcel. Just drag-select both with the land tool and click join. This way, music and media changes will stay synchronized.

Cool. If you are using mainland, you'll notice that you can own 10% more land under any given tier level when you deed the land to a group. View this Knowledge Base article, and search within it for "10%" : http://community.secondlife.com/t5/English-Knowledge-Base/Group-owned-land/ta-p/700079

Most mainland landlords group multiple tenants under a single group. I've tried it. What it boils down to is that you'll be really lucky to break even. Since in all probability, you'll be losing money – subsidizing your tenants SL experience -- why take the extra bother of creating lots of groups? A practical approach is to have your group own separate lots under separate mainland SIMs. Your tenants on one SIM typically won't stumble across your other lots on other SIMs. So, your tenants typically won't tread on each other's rental homes.

I've created several. The fun is in the building; I think. Generally, a few people will stop by. I currently have a beautiful dance hall on a 1/4 SIM with over 100 quality dances and a modern music feed. I get a few visitors, but not a lot. I enjoy it. So, I do it. Occasionally someone appreciates it, but don't hold your breath for that. Just enjoy the journey.

P.S. Also try "vending system".

My recommendation is to search for "vendor" on Marketplace. https://marketplace.secondlife.com/ Every time I've gone with a minimalist script, I've found I quickly outgrew it. One will usually find that the mature products have already solved problems that one has not yet conceived.

I use http://www.shouthostdirect.com/ , which has an auto-DJ.

To start a business in SL, you only need as many L$ as you are willing to lose.

Sound like you may have updated your viewer or downloaded a new viewer? If so, check your preferences in that viewer to make sure you've enabled access to Moderate (and Adult if you choose) land.

Here is the Knowledge Base on creating and disbanding groups: http://community.secondlife.com/t5/English-Knowledge-Base/Creating-and-disbanding-groups/ta-p/700053 Key points relative to this discussion: "Creating a group is simple to do. Keep in mind, though: Group creation costs L$100. A group must maintain at least 2 members. Any group that has less than 2 people for 48 hours is automatically disbanded."

Of the options mentioned above, getting a mid-range or better security orb is the only option that will work. I'll recommend a couple options if you want to IM me. The megaprim idea is trival to defeat.

Here is the official policy on Maturity ratings: http://community.secondlife.com/t5/English-Knowledge-Base/Maturity-ratings/ta-p/700119 It is ambiguous, apparently deliberately so. The policy doesn't specifically allow anything on Moderate rating that wouldn't be allowed under General rating. Certain things are expressly allowed in Adult. Certain things are expressly dissallowed in General. Moderate is an ambiguous mishmash.