
The 26th edition of Lab Gab live streamed on Friday, May 22nd, featuring Izzy Linden, discussing, among other things, the re-launch of the Lab’s Solution Provider directory.
The official video of the segment is available via You Tube, and is embedded at the end of this article. The following is a summary of the key topics discussed and responses to questions asked.
is a senior member of Linden Lab’s Land Operations team specialising in
Also, since May 2017, Izzy has run the Lab’s internal course teaching ALL Linden Lab employees (regardless of their pre-existing familiarity with the platform) about Second Life and how to use it – and how the Lab uses it (SL actually forms a core component of the Lab’s working tools, as it is used to host company / department / project meetings etc.).
The initial part of the discussion revolves around Izzy’s recent conversion to an all-mesh avatar, and I refer you to the video for that aspect of the session.

Solution Provider Directory
What is the Solution Provider directory?
- A one stop shop resource location for people needing to find others in Second Life who can handle the things they need to get done: resign design / landscaping; making / proving buildings and objects; scripting; environment design; etc.
- A place where any size of specialist providers from individuals with a specific focus (building, scripting, avatar looks creation, etc.), through to complete solution providers.
How can people apply to be a part of it?
- At the bottom of the Solution provider directory page there is a link to a submission form.
- Applications are reviewed by Linden Lab for suitability (e.g. the references provided in the form, checking the provider’s standing as a Second Life user, etc.).
- The list of providers itself will be reviewed as well to ensure those who many have ceased offering a service / services for whatever reason are removed, etc.
- An open rating system will not be provided, simply to avoid it being positively / negatively gamed.
What Happened to the “old” Solution Provider directory, and how is this different to that “old” directory?
- It had been around a long time and was on a wiki page and had become stale.
- (Side note: the original Solution Provider programme actually ran for around 2 years and utilised a web page supported by wiki pages – the directory itself didn’t become wiki-only until LL wound it down in 2012.
- The goal is now to refresh it, and push it forward “more and more”.)
- The current wiki page is purely an interim measure to get things started, and to address the needs voiced by incoming businesses / organisations to obtained skilled support.
- Enhancements to the directory will be made over time and links to it will gradually appear “anywhere someone is liable to be looking”, e.g. the enterprise micro-site, the knowledge base, etc. Even the Marketplace may come to include a link.
- The current directory has four categories: Full Service Companies; Software Solution Providers; Developer Tools and Specialists – these many be added to / refined / made more granular as a result of incoming submissions.
Business and Educational Use of SL Arising from the Pandemic
- LL has had a “huge” level of interest from companies / organisations looking to shift to a virtual means of meeting their business or educational or social needs. These have included:
- Wanting to run virtual meetings with staff.
- Healthcare organisations wanting to provide psychiatric help to people virtually.
- Schools not currently using SL to provide lessons.
- Educational facilities wanting to offer their prom or graduation ceremony.
- A virtual summer camp (which I’ll be covering shortly, having been in contact with the organisers for the last month).
- Izzy was shifted to focus directly to trying to provide support / solutions for these organisations.
- Organisations still wishing to contact LL about the potential of using Second Life should do so through the connect.secondlife.com micro-site.
Miscellaneous Questions
- How do people join the Moles?
- Details on the Moles (the Linden Department of Public Works, or LDPW) can be found on the SL wiki.
- Applications can be made via note card to Derrick and / or Patch Linden.
- Applicants will have to go through an interview process.
- Can suggestions be made for future LPDW work?
- Yes, again via note card to Derrick or Patch.
- However, not every suggestion will be acted upon; a lot depends on feasibility, current LDPW projects / workload, etc.
- Why does abandoned land remain so for so long?
- The Land Team tries to respond to abandon land as quickly as possible, either be setting it for auction or by selling it directly to a user, depending on the particular situation.
- A lot of factors play into this, such as trying to keep the Mainland as fresh as possible, not harming / being detrimental to surrounding Mainland areas, etc.
- Additionally, the team pro-actively check areas of the Mainland for abandoned land that has not been made available for auction and make it so whenever they can.
- Users finding abandoned land that is not set for auction can file a support ticket requesting the Land team investigate – either for a direct sale or for it to go to auction.
- Land available for auction can be found on the Second Life auctions page.
- Could there be a automated means of getting abandoned land set for auction? – not easily.
- Will Cape Ekim be preserved when LL starts to retire the old Linden Homes mini-continents? (See: Of forgotten explorers, dragons and mysteries, May 2013, for more on Cape Ekim.)
- Any area of the old Linden Homes of value to residents may be considered for preservation.
- How will the old Linden Home regions be retired?
- Currently, many of the old Linden Homes regions are still in use by residents who have opted not to move to Bellisseria. Ergo, for the immediate future, there are no plans / options for retiring these regions that can be discussed.
- Will the updated trees and other flora seen in Bellisseria be added to the inventory Library?
- Will pass that question up the line.
- Mainland and private island prices have been adjusted in the last few years.
- LL is always looking at land costs and opportunities to make adjustments.
- When we might seen any further adjustment cannot be indicated at present.
- What’s happening with the work to beautify areas of the the Mainland?
- The Moles are constantly working to improve the landscaping, etc., of Mainland.
- No specifics on areas being selected, etc.
- There are also a number of resident groups who purchase areas of Mainland specifically to beautify them for people to appreciate.
- Why have there been no visible environment changes on Mainland with the release of EEP?
- Because estate-wide changes could have a significant impact on people’s expectations of what they expect to see with environment lighting.