Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld
Second Life, virtual worlds and virtual realities
Qarl Fizz, formerly Qarl Linden, and Karl Stiefvater, former co-host (or at least resident guest) in the Metareality podcasts and also responsible for initially coding the mesh deformer, has announced he has “deleted” his region in Second Life. He explains why in a blog post which appeared on October 16th.
With thanks to Damian Fate by way of Ely Hynes.
Linden Lab gets into the Halloween / Day of the Dead mood with a photo contest which opened to entries at 10:00 SLT on Tuesday October 15th, and will remain open until 17:00 SLT on Friday November 8th.
On offer is a total of L$16,000, with a L$10,000 Grand Prize, and further prizes of L$3,000, L$2,000, L$1,000.
The blog post announcing the contest reads in part:
Every day is dress up day in Second Life, but now is your chance to win some cool prizes for it.
The Second Life Fa-BOO-lous Halloween Snapshot Contest is here! Get your avi ready and show us your best Halloween/Dia de los Muertos themed images.
The post goes on to list some venues where photos for the competition may be taken, as drawn from the Destination Guide.
Those entering the competition should submit their snapshots via the contest web page. Winners will be voted on by the community.
The competition page also includes a link to the full competition rules, which people are advised to read prior to entering.
Following the August 15th changes to the Second Life Terms of Service, and specifically the clauses contained in Section 2.3, many have taken time out to loudly and persistently proclaim that the wording is indeed deliberate and indicative that the Lab have darker desires on the content within Second Life (and their other properties) than they are willing to admit.
I’ve already pointed out in these pages that this needn’t actually be the case; that things might actually be down to a matter of the Lab trying to bring together their own Terms of Service with the Terms of Use previously employed by Desura. These latter, in their Section 2, contained wording remarkably similar to that found within Section 2.3 of the updated ToS. However, this point seems to have been largely ignored by those pointing to conspiracy theories and laying out an agenda of supposed intent on the Lab’s part.
But, even if I’m totally wrong about the Desura connection – and that could well be the case; God knows I’ve been wrong enough times in the past – does it really mean the Lab is awash with nefarious intent? Or did they simply take the easy option and boilerplate the updated ToS with scant regard for anything outside of the sections they’d identified as needing update (such as the inclusion of a revised dispute resolution section and clauses on updating the ToS?
In talking to an IP attorney over the past few days, I found myself pointed to a number of Terms of Service / Use documents which carry language largely identical to the Lab’s own. So much so that they look to have all been taken from the same boilerplate. Let’s look at some examples, starting with a refresher of the core element of Section 2.3 of the Lab’s ToS, with what have been seen as the key phrases of concern highlighted:
“Except as otherwise described in any Additional Terms (such as a contest’s official rules) which will govern the submission of your User Content, you hereby grant to Linden Lab, and you agree to grant to Linden Lab, the non-exclusive, unrestricted, unconditional, unlimited, worldwide, irrevocable, perpetual, and cost-free right and license to use, copy, record, distribute, reproduce, disclose, sell, re-sell, sublicense (through multiple levels), modify, display, publicly perform, transmit, publish, broadcast, translate, make derivative works of, and otherwise exploit in any manner whatsoever, all or any portion of your User Content (and derivative works thereof), for any purpose whatsoever in all formats, on or through any media, software, formula, or medium now known or hereafter developed, and with any technology or devices now known or hereafter developed, and to advertise, market, and promote the same.”
Now compare that to GigaOM’s own ToS Section 2.3:
You hereby grant to GigaOM, and you agree to grant to GigaOM, a perpetual, royalty-free, non-exclusive, irrevocable, unrestricted, unconditional, unlimited, worldwide and cost-free license to use, copy, record, disclose, sell, re-sell, sublicense, reproduce, distribute, redistribute, modify, adapt, publish, edit, translate, transmit, create derivative works of, broadcast, publicly perform, display or otherwise exploit in any manner whatsoever, all or any portion of your User Submissions (and derivative works thereof), for any purpose whatsoever in all formats, on or through any media, software, formula, or technology whether by any means and in any media now known or hereafter developed and to sublicense such rights through multiple tiers of sublicenses, and to advertise, market and promote the same.
Or if you prefer, you might want to compare it with the Terms of Service from Tribal Nova, who run ILearnWith:
You hereby grant to Tribal Nova, the non-exclusive, unrestricted, unconditional, unlimited, worldwide, irrevocable, perpetual, and cost-free right and license to use, copy, record, distribute, reproduce, disclose, sell, re-sell, sublicense (through multiple levels), display, publicly perform, transmit, publish, broadcast, translate, make derivative works of, and otherwise use and exploit in any manner whatsoever, all or any portion of your User Content (and derivative works thereof), for any purpose whatsoever in all formats, on or through any means or medium now known or hereafter developed, and with any technology or devices now known or hereafter developed, and to advertise, market, and promote the same.
There are further public ripples in the pond resulting from the August 15th changes to LL’s Terms of Service
Word is spreading that the Machinimatrix team are responding to the recent changes to Linden Lab’s Terms of Service (ToS), having issued a blog post on the matter, which reads in part:
Dear customers;
Recently Linden Labs have changed their TOS. First and most important for you:
This has no direct impact on our support and we will continue our offers as before.
However we feel uncomfortable about the change of the TOS and we have made a few moves to support those who no longer have access to Second Life. And finally we have decided to reduce indirect advertisement for the Second Life platform.
The post goes on to state that:
The team also make it clear that in making these changes, no actual functionality has changed within their products.
Bryn Oh, perhaps once of the most high-profile members of the Linden Endowment for the Arts has publicly resigned from that body.
Having already commented on the revision to Section 2.3 of the ToS, Bryn has now written publicly on the subject from apersonal perspective, and does so quite damningly, highlighting one of the principal issues which has come about as a result of the wording of the section 2.3, noting:
One thing I do in both first life and Second Life is try to convince artists that they and their art are worth something. You see, artists are quite often taken advantage of. People will pay a plumber to fix a sink or a roofer to fix a roof because it is a skill they do not possess themselves, and they accept and recognize that. However, most people also can not paint pictures, yet they will suggest that it would be great “exposure” to put things in their Law Office or Hotel. When I was just out of art school I was convinced to do 25 pen and ink drawings for an expensive coffee table book.. for “exposure”. They thanked me in the back of the book. And somehow I felt like they did me a favour. They probably paid everyone else but me.
She goes on:
As it stands now I don’t feel comfortable luring artists into creating content for Linden Labs who can pretty much do whatever they want with it. I will take the risk with my own content but I wont encourage others to do so. For example, if you developed a revolutionary method for treating people with Schizophrenia by using specific techniques combining art, original music and the virtual space then built or demonstrated it in SL, it would no longer be yours exclusively. Linden Lab could scoop it up and put their money behind it, while you struggled to promote it from your basement … It is just another indignity artists and thinkers must suffer and I don’t want to be a part of it.
Bryn’s letter makes powerful reading, and underlines the fact that at the end of the day, it doesn’t actually matter why the Lab has seen fit to allow such sweeping statements as found in Section 2.3 of the ToS. It really doesn’t matter if it’s actually down to a short-sighted consequence of trying to combine the Desura Terms of Use with the ToS or whether there is some deeper, darker and hidden meaning people are exhausting time and effort trying to discern.
What actually matters is that the wording, as given in the ToS today, is untenable for many, and with very good reason, and is – as I’ve said before, and Bryn underlines – a further erosion of community / company trust which really should be more directly and clearly addressed by the Lab.
Sadly, and while continuing with efforts to encourage them do so elsewhere, I don’t actually believe they will.
Both CtrlAltStudio v3 viewer and the Android LittleSight client both updated recently.
The stereoscopic version of CtrlAltStudio, the Firestorm-based v3 viewer for Windows and Mac was updated on September 27th to version 1.0.0.34288, which provides a number of improvements and bug fixes, including:
This version of CtrlAltStudio does not support Oculus Rift, but uses OpenGL quad-buffered stereoscopic 3D, it requires NVIDIA graphics drivers with 3D Vision support (314.07 or later) and monitors set to 120Hz. The viewer needs to be running in screen mode, and suitable 3D glasses are required (does not work with 3D Vision Discover anaglyph). The capability should work with GeForce GTS250 or better, NVIDIA Quadro cards, AMD Radeon HD 6000 or better and FireGL V7600 or better with recent drivers.
The release notes for version 1.0.0.34288 are available from the CtrlAltStudio website.
I first covered the LittleSight text client on July 22nd, 2012, with a review of version 1.0.4. Since then there has been further development of the client since then, notably with a paid teleport service to get around the grid.
On September 29th, LittleSight marked its arrival on the SL Third Party Viewer Directory with the release of version 1.5.0.0, although the update doesn’t appear to bring any additional functionality to the client.
I stumbled upon Alki by chance as I nosed through the Nature and Parks section of the Destination Guide. I’m attracted to places which offer a good teaser photo and an enticing description, and Alki’s entry does both, the description in particular reading:
Alki is a living, evolving project inspired by the Pacific Northwest. Fun activities and scenic spots to play and hang with friends. Wander the peaceful forest path, take in an amazing sunset at the beach. Home to Z&A Coffeehouse & Art Studio.
It’s a charming place to explore, and offers those looking for a venue where they can listen to good music, dance and have fun exploring, swimming, playing games or sailing.
Surrounded by tall mountains, the region is sort-of divided into two. The north side of the island comprises a rocky plateau, on which sits the Z&A Coffeehouse, and beside it the Z&A Gallery. The former is a two-storey structure, the coffeehouse occupying the lower, complete with dance floor, bar, alcove seating and so on, while upstairs is what is probably best described as an indoor garden under a curving glass roof.
The art gallery is smaller than the coffeehouse, and fronts onto a circular outdoor dance floor. There are four ways off of the plateau: the path initially used to reach it after arriving in the region; a teleporter to a space station music venue out in deep space; a wooden stairway leading down to another music stage nestled under the shadow of the plateau; and a rope slide which takes you right across the region to the south side.
The southern part of the region is given over to open countryside. Here paths wind through a varied landscape of rugged terrain, open stretches of water, trees, and even to a small beach, all of which is laid out in a way which makes full use of the available land area in a very natural way. Nor does it end there. Follow the paths down to the south-east side of the island and you’ll come across a little campsite, with a water slide nearby, and just beyond it, a barge offering individual and group games, or you can take a little sailboat out on the water (do be sure to keep well inside the buoys out on the water if you do!) or go for a swim.
There are other imaginative uses of the available space which make Alki a joy to explore. Take one wooden stairway down from the coffeehouse for example, and you’ll come to the Dragonfly Inn, sitting on its own little outcrop overlooking the water below. Further down the rocky face of the plateau, wooden cabins cling to its face, limpet-like. There are even a couple of houses sitting on stilts out in the bay. Whether these are intended as private residencies or not, I’ve no idea; both are currently unfurnished (one appears as if it might still be under construction). Also, keep your eyes open for the local birds as they flit around, particularly down by the waters of the region.
Music is offered every Tuesday and Friday at the Z&A Coffeehouse between 19:00-21:00 SLT, with a rotating choice of new indie, Goth rock, indie / alternative rock and pure punk through the Tuesdays of each month, and electro-darkwave every Friday.
Alki has been very creatively put together and offer much to see and do; if you’re looking for a place that offers a good mix of things to do, you might want to check it out.
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 