Recent Comments:

Linden Lab responds to Wonderland scandal

Second Life Insider

Nov 1st 2007 11:06AM @Rip, I assume then that you favor banning or destroying *all* fictional or virtual media which portray criminal activities? This covers a really large swath of books, movies, computer games, etc. Does the state have the right to presume guilt on the basis of what it thinks someone *might* do? Protecting real kids is indeed extremely important - but insofar as we are in the realm of thoughts and not acts, so are civil liberties. I regard "thought policing" by the state as a step on the slippery path to fascism.

Virtual Ageplay Still Too Real

Second Life Insider

Oct 31st 2007 7:03PM "The CEOP takes a dim view of ageplay, even when both avatars have confirmed their identity as consenting adults. 'Why would a 56-year-old man masquerade as a 13-year-old child? That’s something that would concern us," the spokeswoman said."

First, the vast majority of kid avis are extremely protective about real kids, and have *zero* tolerance for RL child molestors or anyone who harms real kids.

Second, I don't think it is any of CEOP's or any one else's business what consenting adults want to do in SL ... but if they really wanna stick their noses in, maybe he had a rough or unhappy childhood, and wants to relive it the way he wishes it had been?

Third, shouldn't the UK be spending their limited police resources on protecting *real* kids, rather than "inventing" problems based on dubious presumptions about what people might potentially do? Simply put, this is fascist thought policing. Even the US Supreme Court (hardly a bastian of liberalism/libertarianism ín recent years) has ruled that such virtual/fictional activities are protected free speech.

As a footnote, keeping *real* kids out of SL (not to mention a whole lot of other nasty stuff on the internet) is an entirely different issue, and I do hope that LL will make their new solution work.

Wonderland scandal spreads through the media

Second Life Insider

Oct 31st 2007 6:43PM What's wrong with "unshakeable libertarian positions"?

For some of us, "libertarian" and "civil rights" are rather good things, so long as we are talking about consenting adults.

Linden Lab responds to Wonderland scandal

Second Life Insider

Oct 31st 2007 9:49AM @nimrod, do you *really* always remember what tag you have on? I sure don't. Jay's point is well taken, i.e. that we should slow down and think before throwing stones, especially when these are based on false presumptions or mass hysteria.

I think it is LL's interest (and all of ours) to be *very* careful about going down the slippery and quite fascist road of "thought policing" interplay between consenting adults which does not harm anyone else. As to presumptions that virtual activities lead to real (illegal) activities, if you really believe that then there are a *whole* lot of movies and books we better start burning, from Agatha Christie to Ocean's Eleven. Even the US Supreme Court (hardly a bastian of liberalism) has recognized such virtual activities as protected free speech.

As the saying goes, "I may not like what you say, but I will fight for your right to say it." Well, there's a lot of stuff I don't like in SL (e.g. guns and violence), but I really don't think it's for me to tell other consenting adults what they can do or not do, so long as they're not harassing me.

What to do with Megaprims

Second Life Insider

Oct 15th 2007 11:30AM I presume this is less a technical issue than a money one. Mega prims - or better yet, increasing the maximum prim dimension to (say) 30m - would reduce the need for prim capacity, and thus LL revenues.

But I think this thinking (hard 10m limit in order to artificially drive up prim demand) would be terribly short-sighted on LL's part. The demand for prims is growing, and will grow further if LL will adapt by making SL a more attractive place to be. Yes, there are some technical issues, but I'm sure nothing the wizards of LL can't solve. Parcel encroachment? This is *already* an issue. How about just providing an "eject encroaching objects" feature to parcels? Isn't this every landowner's right??? And as to physics issues, just limit physical prims to a certain size?

I share the opinion that megaprims are incredibly useful - in fact, virtually indispensable. My hope is that LL will legitimize legacy megaprims - at least up to a reasonable size, say 100m ? - and go a bold step further by easing some of the existing constraints that drive us all nuts (max and min prim sizes, link radius, max number of groups, etc.). LL: stay with the times, or be left in the dust.

Welcome EU residents, by the way, we're charging VAT!

Second Life Insider

Sep 29th 2007 3:00AM I think LL should "grandfather" sims owned prior to the effective date and absorb the VAT themselves. They are still getting approx. USD 250 net, which is considerably more than the USD 195 net for mainland sim or previous grandfathered sims.

Rationale: Fairness. LL "sold" these sims on a certain basis which they should stick to. This change is *not* due to any recent change in law but rather LL's decision to apply existing laws in a certain way (not to mention their decision to open an office in Brighton). In fact, consumer prices in the EU are necessarily *inclusive* of VAT, so an EU resident buying a sim could reasonably have assumed that the prices (especially monthly land fees) are end prices. Instead, those who showed their confidence in SL by buying sims for renting out are facing losses, since most can't pass this on to their renters.

Welcome EU residents, by the way, we're charging VAT!

Second Life Insider

Sep 28th 2007 3:53AM This will have a huge effect on the SL economy - much more, I think, than the casino ban, which has already sent mainland prices falling by 40% in recent months.

- Mainland: We will surely see a rush of EU residents dumping their mainland parcels at any price. Does the phrase "market crash" comes to mind?

- Premium memberships: Many EU residents will drop their premium memberships. The great majority of the "value" of premium memberships is the stipend. Why pay VAT on this when direct purchase of currency is not subject to VAT?

- Private islands: EU residents will be driven out of the landlord business, as they won't be able to compete with non-EU sim owners. EU residents will be much better off renting private islands (VAT free) than owning them. My heart goes out to EU residents who already bought sims for renting out; they are royally buggered.

Unlike the casino ban, LL *does* actually have a choice here, albeit an expensive one: they could absorb the VAT themselves.