It ain't happening.

So, deal with the Linden Lab mantra and the SL woes of crashing, asset server issues, database wonkyness and whatever other problems creep-in, because they refuse to boil the code. it already is public knowledge that the server and viewer code is such a spaghetti mess that to 'fix' it, they'd have to start over practically from scratch - and that won't happen.

So, among all the frustrations with memory leaks, crashing viewers and sloppy, laggy sims, we have all kept our eyes pointed to the horizon... waiting for that alternate virtual world that will be rich enough in features, powerful enough in design and open enough to allow as much freedom... a replacement.

You can stop holding your breath and scanning the horizon. The writing is on the wall [emphasis is mine]:

In speaking to companies with virtual worlds in the works, no one is looking to replicate the Second Life model.“A year ago, when a lot of big companies came into Second Life, it didn’t work out for them,” said Jerry Paffendorf, the former “resident futurist” of the Electric Sheep Company, now of Wello Horld. “The reaction is to try to get away from that to these tightly controlled, kid-friendly environments.”

At VW08, kids are the focus

Lillie Yifu over at 2nd Sex (yes, cool, but... er... interesting name) has a good little post about how the corporations are all about themselves. My first question is: what this ever a question?

What srikes me most is the very first paragraph:

"One thing I think that frustrates more of the smart people I know than anything else is how many of them are not making very much money, while much less smart people are safely in well paying jobs. I meet many of these people in blogging and in Second Life. The news, I think, is that things aren't going to get any better..."

This brings me to something I've been seeing and thinking about with regard to 'business' in Second Life - and tends to explain the shrill, frantic thrash-backs from residents in the Second Life blog:

Are you in SL to try to make real money?
That is to say, you develop, create, provide a service - whatever it is, you use it to earn Linden Dollars (L$) - but then actually cash some of that out and use it in real life, or (shockingly) rely on some of that?

I make good L$ in SL. But, I'm not crazy enough to even think about cashing any of it out and then rely on any part of it. I have a 'regular day job' and it feeds me, clothes me and keeps a roof over my head. I also have a freelance business that I use (read: not rely on) for some extra cash.

At first, it was my freelance videography and photography business that provided me the discretionary funding for my SL experience. However, I now use SL business to pay for... SL.

In other words, I take all the money I make in SL and I will convert it back to good old United States legal tender. But that's it. It sits there in the pot. Then, whenever the Lindenonians decide to reach into my pocket, they take whatever it is they want from the pot.

You see, that pot is the cash they owe me. So, they must pay me what they owe me before they can actually take any money from me. They simply deduct what I owe them from the credit they owe me. If I keep that credit floating higher than what i might ever owe Linden Lab - Second Life pays for itself.

As for those who earn enough to actually cash-out, (that is, to call Linden Lab on their credit and have a check sent,) well - that's all well and good. I hope it's also a 'freelance' business. What you can file with the Internal Revenue Service (in the United States, anyway) as a "Professional Hobby."

However, if you actually rely on some or (Heaven forbid) all of that money, you're better-off dumping SL and doing something in real life. You see, the dynamic is really very simple, and it shows why this 'business model' can be far more volatile than even the stock markets:

As an employee of someone, you earn a regular wage. you can budget your living and other costs off the security. Even if it's 100% commission - you have complete control in all aspects of it. The same is true if you are running a business in real life.

No middle men to muck things up for you.

Now, if your business model relies on Linden Lab, you'd better be setting some cold hard cash aside for when that falls through. You are relying on an unknown entity. You are relying on Linden Lab for your livlihood and Linden lab doesn't care about you. And neither should they.

You are simply a customer subscribing to a service. Their only requirement in this relationship is to provide you access. Stop. Done.

Hence, if permissions go awry, if someone finds a way to rip (steal) your creations and sell them, if the service goes bad (asset servers and database issues) - if anything happens that kills sales or otherwise loses you money (L$) - it doesn't matter.

LL's sole responsibility is to provide you with access.

I may be wrong, but I am totally unaware of any statement in writing or orally where LL has promised to ensure you are able to make any money at all. And, I have yet to see any promise to ever convert L$ into legal tender of any kind. The only thing they owe you is that credit. Other that, whatever means you use to earn that credit is totally volatile because there is no promise whatsoever that those means will continue the way they work now, or even at all.

So, I'm curious... if you make real money in SL - do you rely on it for anything? Or is it simple discretionary spending cash?

Even more curious: do you feel entitled to earning real cash from within Second Life?
Frankly, if you do, then I must admit I think you need to reevaluate your first life fast and hard.

Corporate R&D, educational classrooms, commercial showrooms, fantasy Gorean swordplay and now... war room. For real life.

Forbes magazine has an interesting article on how the Feds are coming into virtual worlds to... help catch terrorists and other bad guys.

Always fun and fascinating news:

Leave it to the U.S. government to suck the fun out of innovative technology. As the inhabitants of virtual worlds like "Second Life" and "World of Warcraft" fulfill fantasies of flying between islands and fighting armies of blood elves, the feds are looking into using the virtual realm for far more mundane--if more practical--activities: sitting around a conference table, watching PowerPoint presentations and attempting to track down terrorists.

Building The Feds' Virtual War Room - Forbes.com

If you've been following all the SL Blogs, you know there is a lot of hoopla about Intellectual Property (IP) rights and content theft. There even is an awareness campaign being run by many of Second Life's better-known creators.

Many, including myself consider the campaign to almost be a waste of breath. Almost. But, as it turns out, this is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg and Second Life residents are the Titanic. It's going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

The issue is the untested waters of Second Life and virtual IP as it pertains to the law. real world law. It has already been proven, at least to a small degree that real life law can and does apply to virtual IP as found in the Eros vs. John Doe case of 2007.

If you are a creator in SL - creating your own stuff, marketing yourself, or even if you 'borrow' real life logos and marketing approaches, and especially is your are a content plagiarizer, you'd do very well to read the linked article.

For anyone involved in any way with Intellectual Property in SL, builders, designers, scripters, SELLERS... fasten your seatbelt. It's going to be a rough ride if you aren't careful.

Quote:

"For example, it's not clear whether someone who commercializes a virtual copy of a patented real world object commits patent infringment [sic] and if so, in which jurisdiction. It's also unclear whether someone who develops a trademark used only to identify virtual goods and services generates enforceable trademark rights in the real world. And it's not known whether making virtual use of a trademark, which can be confused with a real-world trademark, amounts to trademark infringment [sic].

"But rights holders can't really stand around waiting for the courts to decide the law."Failure to enforce is particularly damaging to plaintiffs in trademark infringment cases," [sic] says Kristina Rosette of Covington & Burling, which has offices in the U.S. and Europe.

"Mr. Bennett argues that abusers can do as much damage online as they can do in the real world."

Virtual worlds ripe for real-world lawsuits

"...I had heard of colossal time wasting games like “World of Warcraft,” and “Everquest” as well as the virtual worlds “Second Life” and “Sims” where people can create a character in a utopian fantasy world and spend countless hours posted in front of their computers armed with a 2-liter bottle of Mountain Dew, a Hot Pocket and a waistline growing as fast as their logged hours played. But hey, to each their own and as several people in “Second Skin” say, we all have our little time wasting addictions and online gaming is theirs."

This is the quote from a movie review, about "Second Skin". Apparently a documentary about people who spend much of their time in MMORPGs and Virtual Worlds. It reminds me of the recent BBC special, where they followed two separate couples (couples in SL) who met in real life.

I thought the BBC did a pretty balanced job of it, showing one couple blissfully happy and the other... well, it was balanced. As for "Second Skin", I really don't know much about it. As for the review of Second Skin, well - it's a review... by a critic.

I have no interest in seeing it. If it shows up on YouTube or something, sure I'll peek. But other than that, I'm really not too interested. So, as for the quote above... agree or disagree?

Full article here:
Current Movie Reviews, Independent Movies - Film Threat

Brian Dipert over at EDN has a great article about how Second Life [and other virtual worlds] will become more and more real as time goes on. The point being the it only looks feels the way it does right now due to technology constraints, that are improving exponentially.

Now, his column is only about Second Life or the technology behind it at all. It's actually a very good read and has to do with his predictions for the not-too-distant future.

Here's an excerpt:

"Human beings, like many if not all creatures, seem to have a natural compulsion to intoxicate themselves in striving to escape the un-pleasurable aspects of real life and instead flee (albeit temporarily) to a seemingly 'better' alternative. We cling to what feels good, and we push away what feels bad...not realizing, as we do so, that this grasping and aversion is at the root of our suffering...but I digress. Yes, I'm taking you down a blue pill/red pill Matrix scenario here."

Additionally, posted a great talkback to the article (excerpt:)


I think it's a great read and very interesting. And Dandellions response also is quite thought-provoking.
Pop over there at this link:

Second Life: Inevitable, Eventual 'Real' Life? - Brian's Brain - Blog on EDN

Erepublik offers a real second life
Explain your business to my Mum.
'Erepublik.com is a massive online multiplayer social strategy game a mix between a social network and a strategy game set in virtual version of the real world. Yes, I know - my Mum doesn't get it either but my little brothers totally do.'"

There are a lot of reasons people choose not to use voice. But, there are those who tend to just start assuming things and they are likely miles off-target in most cases. What's worse is when they become insulting and rude about it. They can be really damaging emotionally to some people for no good reason.

They are part of that third camp. The one almost all griefers and newbies are part of.

It would explain why newbies tend to just mow-down others in crowded places without thinking about it, or have no qualms about asking the girls if they 'wanna play?' and just being overly obnoxious. It also explains the whole griefer mentality.

The common understanding is that there are two camps in places like Second Life: the immersionist and the augmentationist. (Controversial full essay about the concept here.)

But what about the third camp? What I would call the 'puppeteer'. Upon first entry into Second Life, I believe this is the 'persona' everyone will naturally assume at first blush, until they learn otherwise.

You see, the immersionist may be the serious role-player. Deeply entrenched into the fantasy world they choose to be a part of. And the augmentationist might simply see SL as an extension of themselves. And there also are those who actually mash-up the two in varying degrees. But what about that group who are almost, if not totally, emotionally disconnected from the 'fictional cartoon character' they drive and control on the screen?

Well, these are the people who simply cannot grasp the idea of attaching any emotion to their avatar (and that's all it is on screen: just an 'avatar' - not even a representation of a RL human) and consequently cannot understand any emotion tied to any other avatar. These are the ones who insult others without even really trying to. But they don't understand, there are times they could be really hurting someone in a far more profound way than they could possibly imagine.

Now, take the first two groups - immersionists and augmentationists and throw them into a room together. Mix in a few technologies. Oh! Let's start with voice...

Watch the sparks fly!
The immersionists would rather not use such a technology because it can ruin the immersion aspect of their experience. The augmentationist immediately assumes the immersionist (and possibly not realizing the immersionist is an immersionist to begin with) is hiding something.

If the person in question is female in SL, it is immediately assumed the Real Life half of this person is really a male or (on rarer occasions) vice-versa. All because she refuses to use a microphone and allow herself to be heard.

This is the most common accusation in this kind of scenario. However, I believe most augmentationists either really don't care or simply don't think much about it. The ones who seem to worry about most are the ones who tend to have at least one foot still in the puppeteer camp.

Now, let's throw the puppeteer into the mix.
The puppeteer also will usually fall into one of the other two camps by default. The difference is the world they see on screen is 100% synthetic and so are all its inhabitants. They tend to speak or do without thinking how it might affect other people. Why worry about what you say and to whom? These are only synthetic fictional characters, right? How can computer cartoons have any emotion or feelings?

And if the cartoon is a female, why would the person controlling that 'puppet' refuse to use voice? Unless... they want me to think they're female. Ahah! So that's it! You're really a DUDE! A dude playing a chick! EEEWWW GROSS! HAHAHA lulz.

Now... these puppeteers, who simply can't or won't choose to grasp the idea that the majority of people in SL actually do view their 'characters' on screen as some form of themselves, don't stop to think about the myriad of reasons why this character's 'operator' would choose not to use voice. Or a webcam. Or skype. or any other technology that could or would reveal their real life anything.

It simply does not occur to them that the immersionist who may be a faerie elf simply does not sound or look too much like such a fantasy creature in real life and would probably like to maintain the illusion represented on screen.

Or that the augmentationist has had a harrowing experience in real life in the past that turned scary for real reasons... identity theft, stalking by a stranger/estranged relative or spouse/or other reason and so on.

No, they automatically assume that because it is a known practice, (though far less often than people think, I believe,) everyone who refuses to use the microphone, (whether they have the voice feature turned on or off,) simply must be a "guy in girls skin" trying to pull the wool over everyone else's eyes.

To those people, I say there are likely real reasons. Legitimate ones beyond the immersionist frame of mind. Even beyond the basic security reasons. There really are people in SL who are legally deaf and probably feel the voice feature is pretty useless to them at this point. And yes, sure - anyone can claim to be deaf and there probably are more than a few. So what? More power to them.

Yes, there are guys in girl skin. So what? More power to them. I mean, is it your intention to reach through the internet and actually mesh lips in a real life passionate tongue-swapping blissful french-kiss with them? Sheesh, get over it. Unless you are actually intending to take any kind of relationship out of SL into RL, it doesn't matter. Just focus on what you see on your screen and go with the flow.

It's likely you've noticed SL is in the news a lot over the past couple years. In 2006 through the first part of 2007, it was over-hyped 'ZOMG SL IS AWESOME!' - then through most of 2007 it was completely the opposite. But, if you've been paying attention, there are a couple of human interest stories that flew-in low, under the radar.

They featured how Second Life is proving to be a huge benefit and rehabilitative boon for those with practically any handicap. I've known this long before any of the news agencies even thought of reporting it. And I've known it works. First-hand.

There is a girl I want to tell you about. I know this girl in person, an acquaintance in RL. She's been in SL almost as long as I have. I won't bother giving her name here because she doesn't know I'm using her as my example to get a point across.

She's more or less an augmentationist, with a little immersionism thrown in. She refuses to talk about RL to strangers, and even to those she knows well, she gives nothing of identifying content. She absolutely refuses to use her microphone and if you earn enough of her trust to get her to send you a picture, the best you'll likely get is one that is two or more years old. Never, ever anything current. Her most recent self-portrait that she keeps in her profile is even almost two years old.

In RL she doesn't have a lot of friends. Unfortunately, because she refuses to use the microphone, she tends to be somewhat of a loner in SL, too. You see, she is shy. She is shy because she is self-concious over what you cannot see or hear or feel about her. And if you ask, she likely will not say or explain.

In fact, it is stated in her profile: "In SL we all are beautiful and glamorous. In RL, I was beautiful just like you, once." Okay, it's pretty sad she feels this way. She's young, only in her 20's.

You see, she was involved in an auto accident a while ago. A terrible one and almost lost her life only hours after that profile picture was taken. Many reconstructive surgeries and hospital visits later, she still struggles with her loss (her father, my friend), what happened and the emotional trauma of it all.

I introduced her to SL while she was laid-up in the hospital, stuck in bed undergoing all the long and painful treatment back then. SL turned out then and to this day to be her escape from her "RL Hell" and has provided a way for she and I to stay loosely in touch with each other since then.

I recently chatted with her after a few months of not seeing her around. It turns out she had temporarily left SL. Her always flying so low under the radar, I noticed... but didn't really notice... and I know her in real life!

Among our other catching-up chit-chat, I asked her why she had left SL and for so long. It turns out that ever since voice has become so prevalent, she is constantly questioned why she isn't willing to use it when she has it active (typing instead of speaking with the microphone.) She chooses not to say.

Then, of course, she is immediately snickered-at, eyes-rolled-to and basically accused by insinuation that she is just another guy in girl's skin. She got tired of the insult accusations about why she refuses to use voice. I also asked her why she returned, even though I already knew the answer.

"Because in SL I am beautiful again. I am normal and people can see the real me inside without all the distraction," she said.

You see, my friend's daughter had massive injuries. Broken collar bone and shoulder, broken neck, her skull was badly fractured. She's been undergoing facial reconstructive surgery off and on since then. A long, painful process. This is why she simply refuses any picture be taken of her over the last couple years. She sees her entire life as being ruined... her real life, that is.

In the accident, her throat was crushed. Speaking is difficult and painful. And when she does speak, beside the slurring, the synthetic reconstructive elements surgeons inserted into her neck make her voice sound "like a monster" (her own words.) She refuses to take a current picture or to speak on the microphone "because they are distractions that keep people from seeing and getting to know the real me."

So, my whole point is this: Second Life is so much more to other people than it might be to you and for completely different reasons you may never have even fathomed. In this girl's case, it makes her "whole and beautiful and normal" again. Literally a second life. And I suspect this is true for a lot more people than you or I might think.

If you run into her, and decide not to learn more about her and quickly cast her off as a guy-in-girl-skin all because your litmus test is whether she is willing to use voice or not... it will be your loss. You're the one who will be missing out on the friendship of a wonderful, funny, beautiful person. And you, in your own shallowness, will simply become just another one who decided to judge a book by its cover and turn away from someone you'd really enjoy getting to know.

So, augmentationist, immersionist or even puppeteer: remember that everyone in SL is here for their own reasons. Some for simple fun, others for social reasons, others to simply experiment, explore, learn and so on. And though there are sometimes 'suspicious' reasons why so many choose to mention in their profiles that "SL and RL are and will always be separate" - and many reasons why someone might refuse to speak into a microphone, even if they have voice turned on, some of those reasons really are legitimate.

Such as immersionism. Being legally deaf. Or because it's simply easier to be mute, rather than dealing with the pain of hearing yourself.

Sometimes, they just want to be "beautiful and normal again."

The next time you see someone who isn't using voice, or perhaps has that little white dot over their head but always tends to use the keyboard and refuses to use the microphone... think outside the box for a change and remember... there are real reasons why this may be so. And you may not even be close as to guessing why.

Yes, Linden Lab shutdown all the virtual banks (well, the ones offering a return on investment, anyway,) unless there were licensed and registered and all that hogwash.

And, as the banks closed down or realigned themselves, the next big question had to do with all the virtual stock exchanges.

Personally, I don't see a need for a 'bank' inside SL. Neither do I see the need for a virtual stock exchange. But, a real-world back... that would handle the exchange of Lindens (L$) and real-world dollars... even manage a real world portfolio from within SL?

Food for thought?
The things that make you go 'hmmmm'

Take a peek here:
Virtual money: the next big thing in the payments market?: "... according to a report by Finextra, Danish online investment bank Saxo is establishing an office in Second Life and plans to offer residents the chance to manage real-life portfolios from within the virtual world. The bank says that it may also eventually create a market to trade the virtual Linden dollar against real-world currencies."

heheheh.
Woot!
(...still won't likely touch it, though) ;)