So this is like...news? Not! I wrote some weeks ago about how it was simply not intellectually challenging to write about SL these days precisely because this theme is on repeat -- over and over again, in different forms, but all about institutionalizing the company town and privileging its fanboyz. Tiresome, boring. People walk away. Or they engage because there's something in it for them. Sordid.
The most hilarious thing about all this: the first thing most people in Concierge or the forums or on chat groups inworld thought all this meant was that whoever got picked would get free water homesteads like the United Sailing Sims got ROFL. Of course, there can only be one wife of Lenin, but we can get another one if need be...I doubt the traffic will bear *another* sailing community, so the next one better be a...flying community or a power-walking community (I have the right AO to join this community now hehe -- can't you see us power-walking through Maryport or Zindra?)
Ciaran Laval said the new Community Gateway (CG) program doesn't pass the sniff test. Doesn't that sum up the problem well? I'm waiting for Desmond's other shoe to drop. I also tried to rant in detail on the forums about this, focusing on some of the unfair hurdles and requirements like the notion that your group members have to vote for your move into CG, but of course as someone wrote in big letters, what does it mean, anyway "to be in good standing" with LL? By that definition, as someone still permabanned from the old forums and the JIRA, I guess I'm "not in good standing" -- and I don't plan to change anything to get into any standing that would fit, so why bother to rant about this or that feature of the program?
There's more that could be written about the unfairness and idiocy of it all, but...why bother? When we went several rounds with Pink Linden on this outrageous favouritism shown to certain Linden friends in the fashion world, the thread got closed by blog marm Blue Linden. We all explained that it was unethical and counterproductive. Pink Linden isn't changing a thing about what she's doing. I remain baffled, as usual, why, when the Lindens run this FIC system, they always pick *bad* FIC. As a boss once told me in the old Soviet Union, "I don't care if you pick your friends. Just pick *good* friends." So why do the Lindens have these unimaginative slutwear manufacturers as fashion buddies? Of all the people to pick as their main mainland man, why pick BDSM sourpuss MarkTwain White, when they've got, oh, all these furries in Luskwood and norms like Fleep in Chilbo? I just don't get it.
The funny thing to think is that there are literally hundreds of mainland communities out there -- I saw probably 20 just flying around my properties today -- that probably don't read the forums, are a bit too small or amateurish or uninterested to bother with CG, but all of whom make the mainland a free and fun place to live in their way. A major problem is that they have trouble sharing and communicating with each other because they're not interested in the forums (some are scared away by posters' nastyness or Linden censorship) and blogs are so scattered. Even so, they do keep up in a loose network of events, landmark sharing, etc. and more could be done -- but it shouldn't be done by Lindens.
As always, if you don't like what the government is doing, you can only blame yourself first and foremots for keeping them in power and not creating alternatives. It's possible to displace all this Linden nonsense, but it has to be done strategically. sionChickens was just such a horizontal move to create communities with commerce and socializing completely outside the Linden ambat. Laugh if you will, but them make a better mousetrap.
Lucifer Linden has a parchment for you to sign. Just sign it. Trust me. :D
Posted by: Ann Otoole | October 02, 2009 at 08:09 AM
They pick the ones they pick because they are the ones willing to grovel and kowtow at the Linden's feet. Most of the good designers don't *need* LL to succeed, and they know that.
Yes, it's all really not news anymore. LL will push some designer suck up, and the world turns another day.
Don't worry Ann, you're sucking up pretty hard these days, maybe even you will one day get your moment in the sun. Rofl.
Posted by: Darien Caldwell | October 02, 2009 at 11:33 AM
"So why do the Lindens have these unimaginative slutwear manufacturers as fashion buddies?"
lol
The subliminal message of the moment is belly rings. LL would like to see everyone wearing the blingiest belly rings on the grid. So bright we all need to wear sunglasses while using SL.
This is not surprising though, seriously. This is a company that advocated SL pole dancing jobs as a way to make money in their official guide book.
Posted by: melponeme_k | October 02, 2009 at 12:41 PM
@ Ann...ROFL ..and I promise if you don't like it I'll take it right out!! =^..^=
Posted by: brinda allen | October 02, 2009 at 01:28 PM
Yep,
never a country, always just another web2.0 west coast biz plan.
its how it ends, that was always going to be the real story....
note fellow NYer, apple farmer, Josh "LUVVY" Harris, who dusan has seemed to discovered as his "watch my car accident" movie launches.."we live online"
themes on repeat, except web1.0 paid most folk for there work efforts/ even though it was all work for hire..:)
well anyway, Ill see if i can sell/license more c3 skycraft and starbasec3 ships at the new fly me to the "moonbase" sims...
I can be like "Monsanto" within the old Futureland at DisneyWorld. ;)
Posted by: cube inada | October 02, 2009 at 02:50 PM
/me lines all of you up naked,and sprays you all with ice cold water from a 2 inch firehose and then explains once again to you all that this is not a democracy,it is a company,owned by LL and they will do what they want,when they want and they dont really care how much tier you pay or anything else about you personally,it is the Lindens toybox and if you dont play nice,they will take away their toys and send you home bawwing....ok...do we all understand now???????
Posted by: Rock Ramona | October 02, 2009 at 03:35 PM
"do we all understand now???????" - Rock Ramona
We understand you added nothing useful to this conversation. Well, perhaps marginally useful as a prime example of a 'consumer' willing to bend over and take it...or a Linden Fanboi willing to excuse anything they do.
If they are going to keep touting the economy and making money, toybox or no, they have to at least give the impression of fairness, otherwise the suckers, er, potential VR business owners, may wise up and stay away.
Posted by: Maklin Deckard | October 02, 2009 at 05:39 PM
More and more as SL becomes a product, not a platform as its been unfairly hyped as, the open sims base technology will sooner become - as it seems IBM did - open and ready for other business models or distributions of content efforts.
Itll be very www 1995 again, but it may be the only way to clean house from the last "metaverse roadmappers" orations/valuations.
repeat: loop : reload. very AOL vs the WWW 1995.
maybe lets hope so.
Posted by: cube inada | October 02, 2009 at 06:25 PM
This is to be a project that enhances the mainland - but it is only for people that own full sims. Most groups that have open enrollment and help for free do not have enough income to own a full mainland sim. Therefore this program is geared toward the island owners. And the prize for being accepted is a private sim - not a mainland sim. Bizarre
Posted by: bladyblue Bommerang | October 03, 2009 at 01:56 PM
gee whiz golly darn,im sorry maklin,i didnt realize you were a noob,you are one of those who came here to make riches on the interweb,one of those who turned my lovely place to escape into one of those roadside COME ON IN AND SEE THE GIANT ALLIGATOR places,sure,you noobs all came and made the lindens a few bucks,but youll all eventually leave for other make a million dollar schemes and leave me with the leftovers.....of course sometimes leftovers are a good thing,so hurry up and move on to that other virtual paradise where the owners listen to the people who pay the bills and do wonderful things for the populace.........oh wait....that doesnt exist lololololololol
Posted by: Rock Ramona | October 05, 2009 at 01:43 AM
http://www.the-original-epcot.com/
governement 2.0 , communities, real and imagined.
As Metanomics spurts libertarian skepticism, and bettina spurts blue marsian colonization for "artists" and shows off syd mead paintings recycled for yet another digital world project...
I thought id post this link for anyones visit. I suggest the essays and the original pitch for epcot article.
might may some think.
Posted by: cube inada | October 10, 2009 at 05:20 PM
http://blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/2009/10/online_game_net.htm
just found today.. the tangled web weaves on....
Posted by: cube inada | October 10, 2009 at 05:30 PM
Interesting, cube, but as the man says, it's not the last word.
I didn't see right away what this Sony Home player said on their forums that was so horrible that got him banned, and made him sue them in court over his First Amendment rights. Would love to know. Did he accuse Sony of favouritism lol?
Far from deterring me from seeing this worlds as company towns arrogating the role of government and needing regulation because they are like malls and the First Amendment *should apply* it strengthens my belief because I see them aggressively fighting back with deep pockets and people feeling they need to be fought. It's not the last time. There will be others.
Meanwhile, Sony Home just lost some customers and lost its luster. If Sony now has a reputation for having draconian forums, that are likely far more repressive than Linden Lab's, it's a loss for them. Those companies that approach the company town and First Amendment role more fully will do better in the marketplace regardless of whether RL law applies or not.
Posted by: Prokofy Neva | October 10, 2009 at 07:16 PM
i agree,it wont be the last word.. in fact i hope its just the beginning, as i mentioned at the other posters blog comments...
the blur is between civic and entertianment spaces, between real and imagined identities and agendas. none of which is really "new" or "meta"..
only open to the "celebrity dancers" in us all..;)
you should follow the stories link to that other post about it..its linked from the link i sent,
its another -internet law blogger --
his views are closer to the view you have.
no
have no idea what he said -- would like also to know:)
was it retard trash talk? or Poetry?;)
Posted by: cube inada | October 10, 2009 at 08:35 PM
When in rock history where you could start your rock career?
If I can choose which era in rock history so that I could start my rock career, I would have belonged in the British Invasion period of the 1960s when bands such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Who gained popularity. Being the John Lennon/Mick Jagger/Roger Daltrey type of leader of the group, I would shape rock history with concept albums, psychedelia, and rebellious music.
What about you? When in rock history where you could start your rock career? Why?
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