Nitroglobus Roof Gallery, October 2026: Kirjat Umarov – In the Beginning Was the Future
Kirjat Umarov is an artist I’ve covered several times in these pages, ever since I first encountered his paintings within the Annex of Nitroglobus Roof Gallery curated by Dido Haas, back in mid-2024. Given that first encounter with Kirjat’s abstract art was at Nitroglobus, it is only fitting that I return to the gallery for what will be her third exhibition hosted by Dido.
As I’ve notedin my past reviews, Kirjat is an abstract artist, often working with bold colours, but also in a manner wherein the white canvas itself itself is as much a part of the piece as the colours it carries. His work is often metaphysical in content and encompassing Christian theology and symbolism whilst also offering commentary on the political world as we experience it today.
Nitroglobus Roof Gallery, October 2026: Kirjat Umarov – In the Beginning Was the Future
Threading its way through all of this are elements of reflection and also a – for the most part – uplifting positivity which is hard to miss. All of this makes his paintings visually and emotionally engaging, and his exhibitions both exercises in marvellous use of colour and geometry, and prompts to get the grey matter between the ears working.
All of this is very evident within the exhibition at Nitroglobus, which formally opens at 12:00 noon SLT on Monday, October 12, 2026. In the Beginning was the Future – the title itself a play on the opening words of the Gospel according to St. John – presents a collection of images, some of which offer titles and reflections of Judeo-Christian mythology, others thoughts on tribal nativism, and still others on the trials of modern living.
Nitroglobus Roof Gallery, October 2026: Kirjat Umarov – In the Beginning Was the Future
Each piece has a story to tell – or perhaps I should say the beginnings of a story. This may come from the title of the piece, it may come through the presentation of the piece – or perhaps both. Some are thematically linked or paired (Crossing the Red Sea), others might offer thoughts on science and the wider mysteries of the cosmos (Wormhole). But all have within them the potential to set the mind tumbling through ideas and imaginings – and, perhaps – in some introspection and reflection.
Thus, like The Word, they are both created and creators, their voices many and varied, like the voices of Babel – but whilst they speak in many tongues to their audience as a whole, each speaks with a singular tongue and tale to each of us individually, whispering a story forged in the processes of our own thoughts and mood.
Nitroglobus Roof Gallery, October 2026: Kirjat Umarov – In the Beginning Was the Future
For myself, I found the flow of Christian symbolism engaging. I have no deep-seated belief in “God” – and certainly not the singular classical “God” of religion (which I regard as a human conceit) – but Kirjat has an ability to present Christian symbolism in what I can only describe as visual metaphor, ideas-in-images-and-titles which prompt thinking on matters beyond our general “everyday” views of life.
Then there his innate ability to lift the spirit through reference to the Nature in all its beauty – such as The Last Frontier, with is suggestion of a beckoning horizon lit by the glowing red of the Sun as it rises (or sets, depending on your preference), carrying with it the promise that however far we are in life, tomorrow will always bring something new.
Logos representative only and should not be seen as an endorsement / preference / recommendation
Updates for the week through to Sunday, October 11, 2026
This summary is generally published every Monday, and is a list of SL viewer / client releases (official and TPV) made during the previous week. When reading it, please note:
It is based on my Current Viewer Releases Page, a list of all Second Life viewers and clients that are in popular use (and of which I am aware), and which are recognised as adhering to the TPV Policy.
This page includes comprehensive links to download pages, blog notes, release notes, etc., as well as links to any / all reviews of specific viewers / clients made within this blog.
By its nature, this summary presented here will always be in arrears, please refer to the Current Viewer Release Page for more up-to-date information.
Outside of the Official viewer, and as a rule, alpha / beta / nightly or release candidate viewer builds are not included; although on occasions, exceptions might be made.
Official LL Viewers
Default viewer 26.3 – 26.3.0.31203661088, August 10, promoted August 17 – quality of life improvements; performance improvements; bug fixes – No Change.
Second Life Lua Editor RC / Beta viewer with Linux support 26.4.0.37384746592, October 7 – NEW
Lua scripting support (on regions with Lua scripting enabled).
Improved communication between the Viewer and the newly published Second Life VS Code extension.
Offers an experimental Linux viewer build.
Includes the latest WebRTC Voice and viewer-maintenance updates.
Second Life Chat Modernization viewer 26.4.0.37534240431, October 8 – NEW.
Recent conversations follow you seamlessly: a direct message you receive on SL Mobile can also be available when you return to desktop, and vice versa; Recent direct message history will be available on logging-in; existing desktop chat logs are preserved – previously saved local history isn’t being replaced or removed; conversation history feels continuous: on desktop, your existing local history and newer message history are brought together into a single conversation.
Luane’s World, October 2026 – click any image for full size
At the start of October 2026, I made a long overdue trip back to Luane’s Magical World as it sits high above her Full region, Le Monde Perdu – or Luane’s World, as it is more commonly known.
This Lost World – to give the region its translated name – is a place I’ve enjoyed visiting for the past decade, so it seemed only right to catch it in words before autumn gives way to winter for 2026.
Luane’s World, October 2026
The work of LuaneMeo with the assistance of Gorba McMahon, for autumn 2026 the region presents something of a fenlands sitting, mixing lowlands and wetlands through which water snakes its way via channels and wide, almost lake-like bodies.
Given it is autumn, the landscape is a marvellous tapestry of gold, orange, red, brown, and yellow, the grass a mix of green and drier browny-yellow, again much in keeping with the season as the dryness of summer is left behind and autumnal rains help to bring colour back to things.
Luane’s World, October 2026
This is a setting rich a wildlife, together with some more domesticated animals scattered around. Birds are particularly prevalent, with herons and ospreys to be found along the banks of the waterways, with swans and ducks out on the waters whilst kingfishers and cormorants also make up the numbers keeping watch and eagles circle overhead, ignoring the passage of squadrons of geese operating in tight vic formations as patrolling the skies.
The waters are busy with fish happily jumping and splashing – perhaps not the best way to achieve longevity, given the aforementioned ospreys, herons, etc., mentioned – whilst out in the shade of the trees and among the grass wildcats wander, foxes spy, deer meander and owls and rabbits keep track of human comings and goings.
Luane’s World, October 2026
Whilst an autumnal setting, this iteration of Luane’s World also contains a touch of spring about it: little ducklings keep close to mama in the nest or whilst on the water, and at least one swan keeps her batch of cygnets under control as they swim.
Utterly rural in nature, as maybe guessed from all of this, the setting does have a number of buildings scattered across it, the most notable perhaps being the barn within its open market, a mix of cats, kittens, puppies and chickens keeping their eyes sort-of on things. Then there is the bell tower at the Landing Point.
Luane’s World, October 2026
The latter is the only really elevated part of the setting, and but for the trees, the bell tower would be seen from everywhere. As it isand for someone like me, the tower sitting within a gravel circle crowning the hill carried a very faint echo of Glastonbury Tor about it.
Elsewhere might be found a book repairer’s workshop, a fish & chips shop for the hungry and assorted other buildings. Many of these sit close by or on the banks of the waterways, with kayaks available for paddling from the shack alongside the fish & chip shop (the shack apparently once the home of Arnold the Crab!). I will say the cabin flying the Danish flag and offering a Traditional Swedish Dinner caused a smile; Scandinavian sharing at its best 🙂 .
Luane’s World, October 2026
Rezzers can also be found along the shorelines of the waterways, offering inflatable boats for those who want to putter along the water rather than paddling.
Those who want to keep to shank’s pony are well served by winding footpaths and trails as they meander gently through the region, crossing the water via sturdy stone bridges when necessary. Bicycles are also available for rezzing for those wishing a faster mode of transport.
Luane’s World, October 2026
Of course, given this is October, Halloween and all that cannot be entirely missed out – tucked into one of the denser areas of woodland is the DEAD and Breakfast Inn (as one sign puts it) – aka a haunted hollow where fog and rain live and all sorts of other things await visitors. I’ll say no more here – go see it for yourselves; it’s a little bit of dark fun among the beauty.
No matter where you wander here, you’ll find places to sit – from park benches to camp sites, to decks stretching over the water and boats on the water, passing by way of swings, camper vans – and even up in the bowl of an aged tree. All of which encourage people to stay and let the rest of the world carry on on its own.
Luane’s World, October 2026
Needless to say, the entire setting is beautifully photogenic – and I do recommend sticking to the Shared Environment; it fits the general ambience perfectly.
And speaking of ambience – make sure you have local sounds enabled when exploring.
Luane’s World, October 2026
During a month when everything seems to be about pumpkins, frightens, ghouls and ghosts, Le Monde Perdu – Autumn 2026 offers a nice step to a different tune. Yes, the ghouls and ghosts are here, as are a few pumpkins – but they are not the focus of in any way intrinsic to a visit.
This is a place you can visit to wander the paths, paddle the waters and relax and have fun and remain completely oblivious of the hidden hollow or giving the handfuls of pumpkins (so to speak!) a second glance.
The CCUG meeting is for discussion of work related to content creation in Second Life, including current and upcoming LL projects, and encompasses requests or comments from the community, together with related viewer development work.
This meeting is generally held on alternate Thursdays at Hippotropolis, in a mix of Voice and text chat.
Default viewer 26.3 – 26.3.0.31203661088, August 10, promoted August 17 – quality of life improvements; performance improvements; bug fixes – No Change.
Second Life Lua Editor RC / Beta viewer with Linux support 26.4.0.37384746592, October 7 – NEW.
Lua scripting support (on regions with Lua scripting enabled).
Improved communication between the Viewer and the newly published Second Life VS Code extension.
Offers an experimental Linux viewer build.
Includes the latest WebRTC Voice and viewer-maintenance updates.
Second Life Chat Modernisation viewer 26.4.0.37534240431, October 8 – NEW.
Recent conversations follow you seamlessly: a direct message you receive on SL Mobile can also be available when you return to desktop, and vice versa; Recent direct message history will be available on logging-in; existing desktop chat logs are preserved – previously saved local history isn’t being replaced or removed; conversation history feels continuous: on desktop, your existing local history and newer message history are brought together into a single conversation.
General Viewer Notes
The 26.4 Lua Editor / Linux viewer 26.4 is now in what is hoped to be its final RC/Beta version ahead of promotion to de facto release status – although it had previously been hoped to promote this viewer during week #41.
The next major viewer release – 26.5 – is currently in initial development. Headline updates for this are:
Chat Modernisation (currently still on the 26.4 codebase, per the notes above).
A new Group capability to allow Group owners / moderators define which Roles in a group are allowed to post links to the Group chat (outside of a defined list of “whitelisted” LL domains like the Marketplace, etc.). This update will also require sever-side updates which are to be included in the next simulator update after Nectarine.
The Graphics Care Package (GCP) viewer is progressing, but has been slowed by a need to focus on “admin work” related to the viewer deployment process at LL.
The hope is to have the server-side support for the additional glTF and EEP (Environment Enhancement Project) parameters (e.g. in the case of the latter, more tone mapping and HDR controls) in place “soon” to allow this project to resume moving forward in a timely manner.
Game_Control Update
It is currently unclear if the game_control updates will now be a part of the 26.5 viewer as had been planned; they may initially surface in their own viewer. Discussions on this are still in progress.
However, some of the hesitation around game_control being included in 26.5 appears to be related to the server-side updates to message handling, which should be a part of the Nectarine simulator updates which (at the time of this meeting) is running across all simhost RC channels and should be deployed to the SLS Main simhost channel on Tuesday, October 13, making it grid-wide.
If game_control is pushed from 26.5, then it will be “in the next viewer” that will be made available.
Pre-Alpha versions of game_control viewer remain available on Github. However, please remember that currently, if this viewer is used to log-in to or connect to a region without the necessary message support (at the time of writing, any region on the SLS Main channel – so a 2 in 3 chance), the viewer will be disconnected and the the hardware running it temporarily banned from connecting to that region for a period of time.
The Breeze mini-RC channel with pepper Linden’s region crossing updates is now live on Agni (the Main grid) with “almost all” of the Blake Sea regions running on it.
Testing – particularly vehicles carrying multiple avatars on corner-to-corner crossings – is encouraged.
In Brief
A general – largely text – discussion on Inventory: LL providing more in the way of top-level system folders for ease of ordering; complaints over Inventory links causing “bloat” (that is, adding additional elements to again given folder, thus increasing overall inventory element count, rather than physical inventory file size / load time – but if links are not visually annotated, how will you know they are there?); Inventory hierarchies; ability to tag mesh clothing in the same manner as system layers; etc.
Most of this fell outside of content creation per se, but did result in a general discussion of what might be possible with Inventory (e.g. making links visible in a different manner, adding the ability to have “smart” folders – folders with built-in queries which simply list things), additional inventory search options, etc.
A further request for a materials bulk upload option (as available for textures). Somewhat sidetracked by complaints that upload fees for higher resolution textures are “too damned high” (where, oh where have we heard that complaint before?), with it being pointed out that the fees have been set to try to discourage people from unnecessarily uploading view high resolution textures (e.g. a 2K textures for buttons on a shirt kind of thing).
Kyle linden noted that while there are currently no projects in the pipeline, he is tracking requests for Group related updates / capabilities (e.g. improved moderation tools, ability to rename a Group, etc.), so that information is available when LL turn their attention to Group features.
This is outside of the ongoing work related to anti-phishing / scam protect/prevention, as summarised in the viewer notes, above.
A general request for identifying AI content (e.g. on the marketplace, enforced tagging at upload (not sure how that would work), etc.
The Cursed Coast, October 2026 – click any image for full size
Sharon Hinterland dropped me a note suggesting I might want to hop over to The Cursed Coast, a Full private region leveraging the additional Land Capacity available from Linden Lab.
It is a design by Sia Aurora (Fushsia) with the support of Tricia Farella, and offers a curiously engaging mix of themes and opportunities with it.
The Cursed Coast, October 2026
Probably the best short-form way to describe the setting is via Sia’s own description:
The Cursed Coast is a mysterious tropical island where ancient ruins, pirate wrecks, hidden caves, and forgotten legends lie beneath a dense jungle canopy. Explore crumbling temples, haunted shores, secret passages, and dangerous wilderness as you uncover the island’s mysteries, solve puzzles, and discover treasures left behind by those who came before—and perhaps learn why so few ever escaped.
The Cursed Coast, October 2026
This is a place mixing piratical going-on from great sailing ships and walking the plank, to Victorian-style (and slightly Jules Vernian) underwater exploration, dollops of humour, Western style horse riding – and even an touch of hang gliding and zip line riding!
And if you think all that sounds a right mash-up, you’d be absolutely right; and I haven’t (until now) even mentioned the chance to play dress-up and visit a museum! BUT – and it is a big but – it all works: Cursed Coast is an enjoyable and vey photogenic visit.
The Cursed Coast, October 2026
Before getting into some of the details, I would not a couple of things: the first is that at the time of my visit Sia was busy smoothing off some rough edges and still adding bits and pieces – so you might encounter one or two new or different elements to me; that’s all to the good.
The second is that the default Shared Environment for the setting is that of dusk, and the lighting had been set-up to reflect that. However, the region lends itself to a wide range of EEP settings (as evidenced in its Flickr group), and I leant more into using my own settings during my visit.
The Cursed Coast, October 2026
The setting is built around a tropical island and the core theme of the setting focuses on the so-called Golden Age of Piracy, which ran roughly from the mid-1600s through to around the mid-1700s.
This saw pirates and privateers (not the same thing although the latter often committed acts of piracy in their, uh, “spare time”) operating around many of the seas and oceans of the world, with pirates from European nations particularly active in the Caribbean, where they were often referred to as buccaneers.
The Cursed Coast, October 2026
The Landing Point sits to the north-east of the island above the golden sands of a beach sweeping out from a broad, deep bay. An information giver provides notes on the setting, whilst a board-mounted map highlights key points around the island – hover your mouse over a location to teleport directly to it if you wish, or just touch any other part of the map to receive a copy as a wearable HUD – although you may need to resize it to read the annotations clearly.
Also available at the Landing Point are some pirate trinkets you can use to help to kit yourself out (more bits can be found in a sunken wreck) – and visitors can explore dressed for the part, if they wish.
The Cursed Coast, October 2026
Beyond the Landing Point there is much to explore. The big bay is an obvious destination. It is here that Rapscallion’s Revenge lay anchored. I’ve no idea if the name is an intentional reference to the EP of the same name by Dave Seaman, I’ve no idea. However, the ship – one of Lia Woodget’s excellent Black Spot vessels – can be reached via teleport.
It is on one side of the bay that things turn somewhat Victorian: deep sea divers are getting ready to plumb the depths of the bay and join one of their colleagues exploring the wrecks and corals beneath the waves whilst keeping a wary eye on the local sharks and ignoring the pirates up on the surface. The dock used by the divers also features a mini sub Jules Verne would likely have found pleasing, and visitors can take it on a dive.
The Cursed Coast, October 2026
I don’t want to say too much about what else lies in wait – the map gives fair hints, but the fun is in exploring – particularly finding one’s way down into what I’ll call the Carousing Cavern (you’ll see why when you find one of the ways into it!) or to Mama Zafira and her swamp. The key thing is to follow the paths and keep your eyes open – there are lots of details to take in, including the often hidden entrances to the caves, caverns and the swamp.
There are also plenty of places with people can simply sit back and relax and a fair number of natural beauty spots to be appreciated, all of which can be reached following the pathways around the island. Oh, and do watch out for the occasional blazing boulder, kindly spat into a ballistic trajectory by one of the local volcanoes and which follow the old adage of what goes up…
The Cursed Coast – Pirate Museum, October 2026
One thing I will mention is the Pirate’s Museum. Located up in the sky, and also accessed via a teleport doorway just outside the palisades of one of the island’s villages, this provides information on many of the pirates of the Golden Age, including John “Calico Jack” Rackham, whom legend would have it first designed and flew the infamous skull and crossbones “Jolly Roger” flag (although the legend in this case dates all the way back to 1959 and the novelist and playwright Hans Leip – perhaps better known in some circles for writing the poem / song Lili Marleen!).
Also included in the museum (among others) are Anne Bonny and Mary Read, who both reportedly sailed with Rackham (yes, piracy was not an exclusively male pursuit!), Henry “Long Ben” Every, a Royal Navy servicemen who turned privateer / buccaneer prior to switching to outright piracy, François l’Olonnais (Jean-David Nau, the “Flail of the Spanish” (the Spanish were the common target for both English and French pirates) and – of course – Edward Teach.
The Cursed Coast – Pirate Museum, October 2026
For those who like quests and the like, Sia and her team are planning a series of activities and events within the setting, whilst those who find their way to Mama Zafira in her cabin can touch her to be given a first quest – find the ingredients for a potion that “may help keep you alive in the caves on the far side of the island”!
All in all, The Cursed Coats is very well done and a fun visit. Some may find the inclusion of so many static characters not to their liking – but I like the way they add to the character of the setting and offer little vignettes for us to build stories around. Oh, and the Pie Rates mentioned in the title of this piece? Check below, courtesy of Sia 🙂 .
The Cursed Coast, October 2026
My thanks to Sharon for dropping me a line about The Cursed Coast and to Sia for chatting with me whilst I explored.
The following notes cover the key points from the Web User Group (WUG) meeting, held on Wednesday October 7, 2026. These notes form a summary of the items discussed and is not intended to be a full transcript. Pantera’s video is embedded at the end of this article, my thanks to her for providing it.
Meeting Overview
The Web User Group exists to provide an opportunity for discussion on Second Life web properties and their related functionalities / features. This includes, but is not limited to: the Marketplace, pages surfaced through the secondlife.com dashboard; the available portals (land, support, etc), and the forums.
Meetings are open to anyone with a concern / interest in the above topics, and form one of a series of regular / semi-regular User Group meetings conducted by Linden Lab.
Dates and times of all current meetings can be found on the Second Life Public Calendar, and descriptions of meetings are defined on the SL wiki.
Web Services Updates
Juniper linden, the normal lead for the meeting was out of the office, so the meeting at lead be Eliza Linden, who is relatively new to LL.
Not a lot by way of updates: the focus has been on bug fixing in various areas.
Future Marketplace Planning
The following were raised as ideas / thinking on what might be done in the future for the Marketplace, the idea being to obtain feedback and also input on other items that might be considered.
Allowing the Marketing Team and “in the future” creator-merchants to create curated lists on the Marketplace (e.g. lists of items (and links to them) a new user can use to pull together a complete look or a complete outfit for their avatar).
This was seen as a good move for fashion bloggers – which would not be the intended initial aim. It also appeared to be based on the idea that bloggers could create their own lists – which again, was not specified by Eliza, nor would it be an adjunct to / replacement of things like wishlists or favourites.
Overall, the feedback was, if it is something that will take time and resources to implement – then it shouldn’t be something that is prioritised.
A small (5%?) discount for new residents on “their first Marketplace purchase” – whether this meant overall (i.e. their very first purchase, or their first purchase from a specific store was not made clear), potentially with an upper limit (e.g. 5% discount on items up to L$XXXX).
Either way, the consensus was that any discount of this nature should be covered by Linden Lab (e.g. by dropping any associated MP fee), rather than the creator.
It was also noted that creators already run in-store discounts and special sales (like Fifty Linden Friday offers, etc.), which could render this idea moot.
This conversation diverted into discussions on:
Reinstating thing like PIOF sign-up perks (e.g. charging US $1.00 for registering a credit card on an account, then providing that dollar as L$ credited to the account) and L$ bonuses for remaining an active user with day log-ins over the course of the first month after sign-up, etc.
Just how aware genuinely new residents really are about things like the Marketplace, in-world sales / discount events, etc., and how to help them become informed.
The idea that many coming into SL are attracted to it via all the videos, etc., put out by users and creators, vloggers, etc., which impart levels of knowledge about the platform – commerce, avatar customisation, etc., – which actually both serve to encourage them to sign-up and be in a position to engage in the economy from the start.
LL providing more and simple to follow videos on things like the mechanics of avatar looks – mixing heads and bodies, how to actually wear / add attachments, use BOM, etc., for those users who do come into SL with minimal foreknowledge.
Coupled to the above – the need for LL to comb through their own web properties and update or remove clearly out-of-date information for new users which runs contrary to the way SL now works.
Commentary on the so-called “lite” version of the viewer – the return to the idea that new users will be furnished with a “cut down” version of the viewer will a limited set of capabilities.
This appears to be something of a re-hash of the “Basic Mode Viewer” introduced under Rod Humble’s tenure at LL as CEO (e.g. in 2001-12). While it initially worked well in helping users get started in SL and was subject to updates (such as the inclusion of Voice), ultimately it was cancelled due to problems in handling the transition from it to the “full” viewer.
What do people consider to be the best benefits / perks at the different subscription levels?
Premium Plus free uploads.
Larger number of permitted Group memberships.
Mainland free tier.
This part of the meeting quickly segued into the more general discussion, noted below, starting with the conversation on communications.
General Discussion
Please also refer to the video for the following.
General Marketplace requests made included:
Having the page numbers for multi-page Search results to by at the top of each page as well as the bottom.
For the upper section of MP pages – Search bar, list ordering, number of items per page – to remain static when scrolling, rather than moving off the screen when scrolling down a page (i.e. a dedicated scroll bar within Marketplace pages or having the upper section float when a page is scrolled).
There have been numerous requests for users to be able to block Marketplace merchants they have no interest in purchasing from from their Search results (so as to reduce the number of “unwanted” results from their Searches).
This is something the Marketplace team is still considering on how to best implement.
Concern was raised over stores / search results being “blockaded” in terms of people “ganging up” on a merchant and blocking them, thus driving down their visibly in things like search stats, etc., and thus trend down in search results in general due to the internal algorithms viewing them as “less popular”.
An extensive conversation on communications – from blogs through socials, etc., covering things like keeping people properly informed on initiatives and changes to initiatives use of e-mail to inform people, not updating old blog posts with updated information over making the new information the subject of a new blog posts, etc.
My personal gripe here is more of the inconsistency of communications: sometimes an event or initiative is announced via a blog post; sometimes it is via a forum topic being opened; sometimes it s both; sometimes it gets a mention on the Lab’s socials, other times it doesn’t. At times people are encouraged to use the forums for feedback, other times it is via Discord. It is a scattergunning that lacks any form of internal structure or policy and thus makes it so much harder for users to stay abreast of things.
A discussion on policy relating to Marketplace and third-party tools (a creator has made a CSV-based tool to ease the process of creating and editing MP listings and was seeking clarification on making it available to people). This was to be referred back to rest of the Web team for internal discussion.
Two non-Web relevant topics were raised:
The Bellisseria Ridgewood Enclave stores (advertising via Classifieds, availability, etc.) – which is more relevant to the Land User Group meeting.
The need for better up-front identification of Scripted Agents (registered bots) via their profiles. This is actually more of a Governance / Trust and Safety issue.
Details of both Land User Group and Trust and Safety User Group meetings are available via the official user groups page.
