As
I make my way around Second Life and read the Grid Status reports from
the SL website, some of the complaints are
about lag, wagering issues, sim security, behavior and etc. Some of
them can be downright nasty - and funny!
I'm sure that most folks are frustrated how that almost everyday there
is some report from LL about the SL grid having a slowdown, login or
search issues - something - reports that things are not working the way
they are promised.
Usually those reports are found on the Blog and the comments there can
be colorful. Sometimes, I just want to jump in and join the cacophony
of complaints - and I do. However, I believe that much of the
vitriol that is found there is not all that constructive. Of course, the upside is that LL knows that many folks are just not happy campers.
However, I look at it this way...
Second Life, the under-funded startup, is a victim of it's own success. When I first became
aware of Second Life in early March of 2007 (yes, I'm a newbie), there
was only about 10,000 to 15,000 residents that were online at any one
time. Sometimes, it would drop to 5,000 to 6,000 residents. But now
(August 2007) there are 30,000 to over 40,000 residents online at anyone
time. The fast growth and popularity of Second Life has put a
technological strain upon the grid, primarily made up of out-dated equipment. As fast one bug is found, another is
created. I can see the frustration
Some will say, "It's just badly written code, that's why we always freeze up or can't TP!" Then there's the inevitable assigning of some nefarious motive. That may be true, I'm not a programmer and don't know the standard for
good code, but, even if the code is suspect, I get the impression that
LL is working on it and spending bucks to rectify the issues - and they are many and often. Am I a
'company man' for LL? Nope! Don't know them and so I don't have a horse
in the race.
Another source of complaints has been Second Life's launch of voice.
In the sim that I frequent, - and am a citizen, the Isle of Wyrms, the addition of voice has been met with mixed reviews. Aside from the usual issues of not having a headset or a fast enough Internet connect to accommodate voice, most of the folks that are regular at the Isle of Wyrms, land on the side of staying with text chat and will wait to try voice. Now, out of fairness, I must say that The Isle of Wyrms is largely a role-playing sim and it is almost unanimously understood that voice takes away from the suspension of disbelief that is needed for such an environment.
But that is precisely why voice is not accepted in all regions of Second Life. Fantasy play is very much effected - even destroyed with the entrance of voice. Look at the virtual sex business, for example. As a guy, how would you feel if the female avatar that you've been dating, turned out to have a deep, burly sounding voice? See what I mean? It's no wonder that some are upset about voice coming to Second Life and be vocal in their complaint.
Also, just recently, gambling has been banned from Second Life, closing down sim,s causing residents who made their virtual income to move out or sell their dwellings - some are even leaving the game - but first they feel the need to have their last say at LL.
I'm not saying that these complaints should be censored. Not at all! Isn't that what human life - even virtual life, is all about? Anywhere you have people involved in a mutual endeavor, you will find conflict. But the reason I'm so positive about Second Life - with all the inconveniences that LL's serves up, is that I realize that what we are experiencing is a truly amazing 3D virtual environment that's on the bleeding edge of technology. For that, LL is to be thanked. Our expectations should be put into the p[roper context. We are all a part of forging a path that has never been traveled before. There are bound to be glitches as we move forward.
So, the next time you're tempted to complain about something where LL has fallen short in their delivery, just remember that they too are forging that path with us. If you do feel the need to display a little vitriol - and there's plenty to be angry about (and you will read about it here), spew as you must, however, include a little something helpful. Understand, you friggin' idiot??? Oops! :)
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