Category: News-Opinion

LL unveil the “Basic” Viewer

Posted on by Inara Pey

On the 16th March, Linden Lab pushed a new version of Viewer 2 into a Development release. Version 2.6.1.223988 has two modes associated with it: “Advanced” – the Viewer we are all now familiar with, and “Basic” – a version with a trimmed-down feature-set designed to get new users familiar with the Viewer and UI.

I downloaded a copy of the Viewer (thanks, Ann!), and took it for a spin. Here’s what I found.

Installation and Start-up

Installation is as you’d expect from a Second Life Viewer: simple and direct. Given this is a Development copy, it goes into its own folder, but be warned: the Viewer appears to use the same folders for caches, etc., as the Release version.

On starting the Viewer however, there is an immediate difference: the splash screen now has an additional button, which allows you to set the default mode of the Viewer – either BASIC or ADVANCED, with the former selected by default following installation.

The new Mode button

Toggling between the two modes is a little clumsy: you have to select the alternate mode, then quit the Viewer (you are prompted to do so) before manually re-starting. This shouldn’t be too much of an issue for those moving up from Basic to Advanced, but it would still be nice to see the re-start handled automatically: confirm your wish to quit and have the Viewer resume without you having to go find the icon and clicking on it once more.

The User Interface

Once the Viewer is started, things get interesting. For a start, there is no menu bar at the top of the screen, nor are there any options available to display one, or the Favourites bar by right-clicking up there. Instead, there is just the address bar and the media play / pause button and the volume control.

There is also no Sidebar.

The button bar at the bottom of the screen also demonstrates noticeable differences. The familiar chat box, Gesture and View buttons are there, everything else is somewhat different.

The Basic Mode Button bar

Replacing Speak (the Basic Mode does not support Voice), Move and Snapshot buttons, the new user has a range of function-specific buttons:

Destinations

Opens up a full-width window across the bottom of the UI, displaying all the major destination categories, thus:

The Destination window

Click on a category, and a new set of options is displayed, complete with a Browser-analogous “back” option to get back to preceding views. Clicking on an actual destination will teleport the user there – something that is potentially a little disconcerting the first time it happens, as there is no pop-up to warn the users as to what is about to happen; the screen simply blanks to the black teleport screen. Given there is no World Map or search function, the Destination button is pretty much the only way of getting around the Grid with the Basic mode.

My Avatar

Opens up a full-width window in much the same way as Destinations, but this one featuring a range of avatar looks, defined both in terms of ethnicity and dress style

The My Avatar window

Clicking on an avatar option will automatically drive the user’s appearance and clothing to change to the selected option – again, a very clean, easy way for new users to quickly change their look and style to something they are happier with. Given there is no way to edit appearance, or get to any form of Inventory, it is also the only way to change an avatar’s appearance.

People

Opens up a compact form of the People tab from the more familiar Viewer 2 sidebar.  Most of the functionality here is the same as for the full Viewer, other than the options found under the Tools “cogwheel” icon. This has been simplified to have only the View Profile,  Add Friend, IM, Teleport and Block, Report and Zoom In options.

Profile

Opens up the Viewer Browser to display the avatar’s profile.

How To

This is potentially the most useful button for new users, and is well-presented for what it does. As the name implies, it presents a series of what I’d call “cue cards” on how to perform basic tasks: walking, talking, starting an IM, flying, changing the user’s view, using the keyboard to change the view, and using the Destination and Avatar buttons.

Options can either be paged through using the intuitive “>” and “<” buttons, or by clicking on the top menu and selecting an option from the drop-down list.

Two of the How To button “cue cards”

In-world Interactions

In terms of in-world interactions, the Basic Mode of the Viewer functions pretty much as with the “full” Viewer, but with a reduced option set; as one might expect, there are no  options to build or edit objects, for example. However, there are also some nice touches: left-click on the centre of another avatar, for example, and a blue dot is displayed. Release the mouse button and your avatar walks directly to them (although this can cause a few bumps and shoves if the route is not clear between the two avatars!).

Right-clicking on another avatar displays a simplified menu, comprising View Profile, Add Friend and IM, and the Block, Report and Zoom In options. Simply pointing at another avatar displays the familiar name pop-up and “information” symbol that in turn leads to their “mini-Profile” and IM / Profile / options buttons.

Similarly, right-clicking on an object provides a four-function menu comprising: Sit Here, Stand Up, Zoom In and Touch. The last displays any menu associated with the object (providing the menu is contained in the root prim, obviously).

One further thing that is glaringly absent from the Basic mode UI and in-world interactions, is that the user has no ability to either purchase Linden Dollars or make purchases. Given this is designed to be a basic introduction to Second Life, one can understand why such options have been left out. However, while “Shopping” itself is not included as a category in the Destination options, the new user isn’t going to travel far before they do encounter opportunities to buy things – and the fact that they can’t using the Basic mode could see it being abandoned before it has served its purpose.

Impressions and Thoughts

As a first-cut “introductory” Viewer, the Basic mode is not that bad; it offers what is essentially a point-and-click approach to finding your way around in-world – something that pundits have been crying out for – while at the same time presenting a relatively clean and easy-to-follow user interface that will help the new user gain familiarity with the basic functionality of the Viewer as a whole.

The Destinations button is particularly useful in getting new users out and about, again given there is now search or world map; while the avatar button makes it relatively easy to change looks – albeit it with shape as well.

However, while the How To button and “cue cards” have been well laid-out, one cannot help but think they would benefit from a few more items: how to jump, a quick explanation of left and right clicking on objects, etc., just for those that are nervous about simply diving in and click all over the place. Similar, a brief overview of common terms would not go amiss: what is a Profile? What is the “cogwheel” button? What does “Report” mean? And “Block”? “How do I unblock someone I blocked by mistake?”

Another concern is that while the Basic mode is very good as a first look, the step up to the “full” version of the Viewer is nevertheless huge. It would be useful if, on first detecting the mode has been changed, the Viewer itself could direct the use to the Quick Start Guide and offer the new user a smoother transition from Basic to Advanced modes. This would be invaluable, given the fact that core elements of functioning in Second Life – inventory, search – are completely absent from the Basic mode, and as such, liable to leave the user somewhat confused.

Finally, and given the recent RedZone situation, and the fact that devices like it are still very much in operation in-world, one would prefer to see the Viewer start-up in either Basic or Advanced modes with the media turned off – together with a How To “cue card” on how to turn it on. It would also be nice to see the Media Filter included as a part of the Basic Viewer, again with a simple “cue card” guide.

These points aside, the Basic mode is a good first step for users entering Second Life for the first time. Even the lack of any ability to buy things can be forgiven, despite my earlier reservations; it provides enough impetus for people to find their feet in SL and get the basics under their belt. Certainly, given this is only a first look, there doubtless can and will be opportunities to tweak it as people coming into SL are exposed to it, in order to ensure it does adequately meet the needs of new users.

Kudos to the team who have been working on it!

If you wish to have a look yourself, the Development version can be found here.

Hamlet – out of touch?

Posted on by Inara Pey

Ann OToole tweeted a link to Hamlet Au’s latest article over on New World Notes. Now, I’ve always viewed a lot of Hamlet’s writing with a critical eye, I’ll admit. While there have been times I’ve agreed with him – there have been equal times when I’ve found his views overly biased and, well, wanting.

In the case of his latest post, I have to say I find him not so much wanting, as flat-out wrong.

It is Hamlet’s contention that the real reason that Second Life is flatlining in terms of growth is down to no other reason than – wait for it – we the users ourselves.  We are apparently so frightened by the concept of change, that we are in effect preventing Linden Lab from making the kind of changes that are needed to “save” the platform; that the Lab is somehow paralysed because any attempt at change is instantly met by a howling outcry that rules against ideas being implemented.

As evidence of this, Hamlet cites two of his recent posts – one of which was a contentious push of his own Facebook agenda.  Leaving aside his attempted change-of-focus of that article when he refers to it in his latest piece, Hamlet fails to appreciate that the perceived “backlash” against his post was not so much because it demonstrated a reluctance among users to accept and embrace change, but rather against his position that the only way for Second Life to survive is to get a lot closer to Facebook.

Arguably, the reverse is actually the case. While many might not agree with him at times, John Dvorak makes a reasonably good case for Second Life keeping away from Facebook.

In repeatedly calling for “closer ties” to Facebook, Hamlet seems unable to grasp something: Second Life IS already a social medium. It’s also something, in fairness, that is lost on some at Linden Lab.

Where else can one experience such a rich and diverse world of entertainment, interaction and culture in such a free-form, immersive manner? Facebook? Not likely. Second Life encourages more than yet another point-and-click, “do as we say” approach to digital interaction. It inspires creativity; it encourages a deeper social interaction – of actually making friends rather than simply forming a small, closed circle of (generally) family and close friends. It gives wings to the imagination for those who wish to soar – prims and (soon) Mesh give rise to magnificent and engrossing worlds and environments that go far beyond the two-dimensional point-and-click ethos of Facebook.

Almost a year ago, Philip Rosedale spoke about “breaking down the walls” around the Second Life garden. It was an impassioned address. While there may have been various nuances to his speech, I really don’t think he was talking about replacing one set of walls for another. And make no mistake, by comparison with the richness the depth that can be found in Second Life, Facebook is a constrained, restrictive world of glass walls. This is not to say it is without value for those who use it – far from it. But when compared to Second Life, it cannot come across as anything less than shallow by comparison.

Certainly, there are areas where links between Second Life and Facebook should be explored and accepted: while it is unlikely that Second Life is going to have a mass appeal with Facebook users, it is nevertheless true that some Facebook users could very well find Second Life attractive. As such, there is benefit in leveraging Facebook as a means of advertising Second Life and reaching out to a wider audience. But again, this is way different to (as has unfortunately been the case) – trying to drive Second Life users into the waiting arms of Facebook.

Leaving the Facebook issue aside, it is hard to see where Hamlet can definitively state the existing user base is stagnating Second Life. Yes, there are at times very vocal minorities. Yes, people do at time dig their heels in at changes. However, I’ve yet to see either of these actually stop Linden Lab for the most part from implementing changes. Outcry didn’t stop the OpenSpace farrago, the Adult Policy Changes debacle and the like. And in many instances, changes are actively being cried out for – like Mesh.

There are many issues with Second Life, sure. There is much to be sorted out, technically and in terms of policy and direction. But to suggest that the problems associated with moving SL forward start and end with the current user base is to shoot very, very wide of the mark.

Whether Hamlet likes it or not, the established user base is actually passionate about the platform. We care about it and its future. It’s why many of us are here after years of highs and lows that have seen us at times battered and cajoled. Fact is, we probably have a clearer idea of what could make Second Life swing than any single individual caught by his own bias and – dare I say – feeling a little hurt at the reaction to his repeated flogging of the Facebook pony.

zFire Xue gone

Posted on by Inara Pey

The account belonging to zFire Xue, creator of RedZone, together with at least one of his alts, “theBoris Gothly”, has gone from Second Life.

So to have the contents of zFire’s store. The news came at around midnight, UK time with posts appearing both in the ever-Epic SLU Thread and people Tweeting on the matter as well.

As the news spread, people started heading for the sim where zFire had his shop – and sure enough, the place was empty.

So – is this a cause for celebration? Is the great hoo-haw over and done with?

Well…sadly, no.

Sure, there is some reason to celebrate; RedZone has been the focus of a lot of effort, and deserves a moment of celebration; but the fact remains that at the time of writing:

  • Certain locations across the grid were apparently still running RedZone
  • RedZone remained available on SL Marketplace
  • Others whom seem to be involved with zFire Xue remain active in Second Life – indeed, one such individual ejected the 30-or-so people checking over zFire’s shop…

That the product is still on the Marketplace could be down to nothing more than a delay in getting things sorted over at LL. That those associated with him have not gone could be down to just that – they are associated with him and his device, rather than clearly and unequivocally part and parcel of its creation or a part of selling it directly in-world or via the Marketplace (where zFire Xue used his “TheBoris Gothly” alt). That RedZone devices are still appear to be functioning in-world is again a little confusing: unless purging them from the LL servers is taking time as well.

Assuming that zFire has gone, and that RedZone is to be removed from the Grid and the Marketplace, than there is cause for celebration to a point. However, the media exploit still exists, there are other devices still out there, and so there is still more work to be done.

Addendum 16th March 16:45

A further quick tour of sims known to be using / hiding RedZone showed that none of them caused a media filter alert of any kind that pointed towards the RedZone URL, or anything of suspicious concern.

Elsewhere it is reported that RedZone devices have had scripts pulled from them. Given that RedZone users were previously instructed by zFire to move the scripts from his own device to prims of their own making, this would seem entirely logical: zapping the scripts would be more effective that simply pulling devices tagged with zFire Xue as the creator.

zFire Zue himself went on the warpath prior to his ban from SL (the interview took place on the Saturday prior to him being banned, but was published – ironically – on the day of his ban), and indicated a potential link between himself and the Knights of Mars, a vigilante group that can allegedly  – and for a fee – get any user banned from SL. Given his companions are still involved in world, some are speculating on whether this matter has entirely closed with regards to RedZone.

Restoring confidence

Posted on by Inara Pey

Just how widely known is the RedZone issue?

One could argue that it is constrained to a few hundred people – the Greenzone group, those that blog about the situation and those that participate in or watch the SLU Epic Thread. Many are involved in all three, making the count apparently smaller.

However, go in-world, and it is clear that a lot of people are aware of the issue. Talk comes up in Groups, Notecards are being distributed, advice given, and so on. CouldBe Yue, a long-time resident is spearheading a Twitter / Facebook campaign to make sure the word on issues of privacy is spread outside of Second Life itself – and is in full view of Linden Lab employees – including Rod Humble. Whether this is advisable or not, given the aggressive tone, is hard to say. It could so easily backfire, if one is honest.

That said, Rod Humble actually took time out to make a couple of appearances of at SLU: the first to publish a couple of comments in a thread designed to poke gentle fun at him; the second to make it clear he is aware of the levels of concern by sitting in on the Epic Thread itself – not contributing, just quietly watching.

Many are getting decidedly upset that despite all that has happened, RedZone remains available in Second Life. As such, innocents unaware of all that has happened may well be getting sucked into the scam. Some are already writing Rod Humble off as a CEO; others are demonstrating more patience.

But…one thing is clear. Confidence is being hit. Privacy issues cannot be ignored. Not only do they impact individual users in terms of their enjoyment of the platform, they threaten to destabilise one of its major selling points: – the ability to enjoy rich media content and performances by live artists all over the world.

If people simply shut down their Viewer’s ability to deliver media, or repeatedly keep hitting DENY on their Media Filter, than music of any kind in SL is going to be a major casualty. As it is, determining what may be a genuine music stream and what may not, isn’t particularly easy for the non-technical. Ergo, unless some positive action is taken, there is a risk more and more people are simply not going to risk accepting unknown media streams – and could well stop going to venues and shows.

As I’ve already commented, it is time for LL to stop playing whack-a-mole in these matters.

But, what, precisely can they do? Viewer 2.x doesn’t have the Media Filter, so any public statement could, at the very least, result in people stampeding away from it to third-party viewers. At worst it could result in panic in general, a further loss of confidence and very negative tabloid headlines (“Linden Lab admits Second Life wide open to hackers and fraudsters!”).

Some have said the lack of action on RedZone specifically is due to an on-going Federal investigation. Well, this may be so; but I can hardly see the Feds saying to LL, “No, you can’t protect your users from this scam, because we need to do X, Y and Z.” Let’s face it, LL can block and ban any item or individual howsoever they like, without having to give a specific reason – and removing the items from in-world is hardly going to bring any Federal (or other) investigation screaming to a halt.

It’s far more likely that RedZone is still there because, despite all his faffing around in the past, the creator has, technically, made the device compliant with the revised Community Standards. But really, this is no longer reason to allow the device to continue in-world.

It has been established the database has been hacked; the exact status of the database is unclear data has been shared – not intentionally, perhaps, but that just makes things worse, whatever the reason for the hack.

Therefore, anyone still using the product is putting their own details and information relating to anyone else entering their land without the benefit of the Media Filter potentially at risk. Therefore, it is simply in the best interests of all concerned to ensure RedZone is removed from all in-world locations.

Right now, the longer it remains, the longer people are going to stay focused on it, and the greater are the chances that SL’s – and LL’s – reputation is going to suffer greater damage, be it through tabloid reporting or through Twitter and Facebook campaigns.

I still have faith in Rod Humble. He walked into the middle of this mess, and so it’s going to hit him hard. I would also like to believe that he genuinely believes his own comments on matters of privacy. As such, and in order to start rebuilding confidence, I’d strongly urge Rod to:

  • Have RedZone removed from the grid. Now. Whether or not it is in violation of the ToS and / or the Community Standards is no longer relevant.  The database behind it has been compromised; it is no longer clear if the database is up or down, or even under the control of the individual who created it. As such, the risk to those both using the device and those being unwittingly scanned has potentially increased exponentially
  • Made sure adoption of the Media Filter in Viewer 2.x is accelerated. Make it a priority. Get a Viewer updated out into the world with the Filter included. People can wait a little longer on things like VWR-1037, but the Filter is a must
  • Made sure the release of the Media Filter with the patch is fully and properly covered: go out and blog yourself. Explain some of the issues – no need to be alarmist – describe what steps have been taken; get Torley to give a short tutorial on the Filter
  • If you’re comfortable with it, give an indication of what, internally, LL are looking at doing in the future to further strengthen the platform.

Beyond this: make sure that you address issues around the matter of data collection. Looking at the sharing of data simply isn’t enough. Sure, there are circumstances where you’d like third-party organisations to be able to collect demographics and other information; there are also user-run services that you doubtless find valuable – as we do – such as Tyche Shepherd’s Grid Survey that need to be allowed to continue. But such cases can be ring-fenced. Checks and balances can be defined.

You have a ToS and a set of Community Standards and a Privacy Policy that stand as a triumvirate guarding the entry portals of Second Life – but they are either somewhat contradictory in terms (ToS 4.3 and ToS 8.3 being the clearest examples of this), or they simply take on a one-sided approach of safeguarding Linden Lab.

If you truly care about your users, take the time to overall the ToS the CS and the Privacy Policy and make them a cohesive set of documents that protect Linden Lab and offer your users a reasonable expectation of security and privacy as they go about their Second Lives. Be transparent. People will trust you more for doing so.

Privacy: a new storm brewing?

Posted on by Inara Pey

As people await for Linden Lab’s response to the weekend’s revelations around the on-going RedZone Affair, it now seems a new issue is starting to cause concerns.

Darrius Gothly reports that he was recently sanctioned by the moderators of the new Community Platform.  The whys and wherefores of the sanction aren’t important. Was is important, and somewhat worrying for people is that rather than simply send him an e-mail warning him of his “violation” of Community Platform rules, the moderator instead uploaded a screenshot of Darrius’ post complete with Darrius’ IP address to a publicly-accessible photo-hosting website.

Again, it matters not whether IP addresses are “public information”; no-one is disputing that. What is of concern to many is that:

  • The IP address is displayed at all, and can be seen by anyone using the website
  • The image hosting website’s own ToS  itself makes it an offence to display such information

Others who have received similar moderating e-mails have found the same – and they’ve found it relatively easy the use the information supplied in the image URL to poke their way into other photosets on the site itself.

Questions are being asked within the Linden Lab forum – although it is far too early to expect an answer right now. Of those questions, Qie Niangao asks the correct one:

“Umm.  A more basic question:

“Why on earth would any moderation action on the provider’s own platform require a screenshot, ever?

“To cite a particular post in communicating with a contributor, embed the text, title, and time of the post.  That should be a one-click operation, same as a screenshot, without incurring the overhead of shipping a screenshot out to a cloud service.

“What conceivable value does a screenshot add?  Are they trying to show embedded images that may have triggered moderation?  (A screenshot is an absurdly bloated way to do that, too, but I’m not sure that’s even what they’re trying to do.)”

Indeed. Why is a screenshot even be necessary, much less a screenshot that must then be uploaded to an external site?

As Qie states, the moderators should have sufficient access to the Platform to be able to cite the relevant details of a violation and e-mail the person responsible directly. And even if a screenshot is required as “evidence” – why not simply attach it to an e-mail to the person responsible?

There really shouldn’t be a need to post such to a public website, as Qie further notes:

“So… how did screenshots get into the moderation workflow?  Is that brain-damage inherited from Lithium? or layered on top by LL? or by another third party contractor to LL?

“I mean, once they made the basic mistake of using screenshots at all, then there’s the choice of cloud service to store the bulging bit bags of pixels, and obviously whoever chose this provider wasn’t paying much attention.  I just think they shouldn’t have needed such a service in the first place.

“(I’m somewhat less interested in the idea of masking out the IP address before pushing the screenshot; we’re just extra sensitive to IP addresses these days, but in fact none of the information on those screenshots should be hosted on an unsecured site.  “Across the street” they’re having fun paging through shot after shot of other companies’ dirty laundry, so you can be sure other companies’ customers are laughing at the SL forums shots, too.)”

Again, whether or not IP addresses can be regarded as “public information”, this seems to be an inordinately crass approach that has been taken in informing people of any forum “wrong doings”. If it is simply a matter that moderators have been improperly trained, then it needs to be addressed fully and properly with the minimum of fuss, and LL need to issue a short statement that the matter has been rectified.

If it is a matter of policy for Linden Lab to handle these matters like this, then it really does call into question as to what the heck is going on in Battery Street – as there is no conceivable reason for matters to be handled this way at all.

Addendum March 14:

In response to concerns raised, Amanda Linden posted the following:

“Hey all, Thanks so much for flagging this. I have let the moderators know that displaying this kind of personal information–in any form–including screenshots–is not acceptable. Please accept my personal apology. We are still working out the kinks re: moderation and greatly appreciate this kind of input. Stay patient with us while we work through the issues and find the right moderation levels–all with the ultimate purpose of having a lively, productive dialogue on Second Life.

“Cheers, Amanda Linden”

Which is good news. However, one hopes that LL actually determine why there was such a failure in basic training of employed / contracted moderators.

Had the moderators been volunteers / users elected to the position who had had insufficient training, fair enough, but the fact remains that full and proper training should have been received by any and all contracted moderators, and LL should have sought to ensure this to be the case. If the moderators are in-house, then LL should have ensured full a proper training ahead of time.

It’s simply beggars belief that someone could send out a warning, yet not know how to attach a screen cap to it.

Let’s hope this is an end of the matter.

Time to end the whack-a-mole

Posted on by Inara Pey

As reported earlier, the RedZone situation has been blown wide open. However one looks at the video that was released last week, the data passed to the Alphaville Herald, and everything that lays behind them; it would appear that all roads lead back to isellsl.ath.cx domain and the avatar of zFire Xue.

Indeed, it now appears that zFire, in another guise, is behind the so-called “Knights of Mars”, an “organisation” promising to get avatars banned from Second Life – no matter what the reason – for a fee; even boasting that their activities are against the ToS (“Is this against SecondLife’s TOS? You bet!” screams their FAQ).

All-in-all the evidence – to those outside – is damning. One would hope that it is enough for Linden Lab to take the appropriate actions, and sooner rather than later.

It’s not even as if this is a sheltered incident. Over the past week, locating and stopping so-called “alt detectors” has become something of a game of whack-a-mole; and poor Soft Linden has been the one stuck at the machine clouting heads:

  • Following the changes to the Community Standards, the creator of Quickware Alt Pro, another device intended to links alts, tried various methods to circumvent LL’s revised position on sharing information gathering within Second Life – efforts which eventually earned him, at least one of his Alts and his device a ban from Second Life
  • Following this, the imaginatively named “Jacks Sparrow” of “Sparrow Industries” popped up with another “alt detector”, quickly pressed into use by those looking to replace RedZone, as Theia Magic reported at the time
  • At the same time, a further “alt detector” turned up on the Marketplace, made by one “Gzoa Resident”. Whether genuine or simply an attempt to cash-in on the perceived need for such Right now, technical  tool, the device was pulled by LL after multiple ARs were filed.

So three systems in a space of days, collecting and sharing data; tip of the iceberg, anyone?Meanwhile, Gemini CDS is still very much out there, collecting data. Who knows what else is out there?

And here is where the system falls down at present: Linden Lab have only proscribed against the sharing of collected data. This really isn’t the issue; the issue is the collection of said data.

As the hack of the Emerald database showed, just before the entire Emerald thing blew up around a year ago – as this RedZone situation demonstrates now – allowing anonymous individuals across SL to quietly gather data and funnel it out of SL into their own databases and servers is unacceptable in it present form. It either needs to be outlawed entirely, or steps need to be taken to ensure people are both aware of what is about to happen and have a means of preventing it from happening prior to any attempt at gathering data being made. And this needs to be properly backed up by a clearly-defined Privacy Policy intimately hooked to the Terms of Service such that anyone found to be either circumventing the “right to decline” or using the data other than for its intended purpose will be immediately banned from Second Life.

Reactive efforts – as mighty and as welcome as Soft Linden’s exploits have been (the man has been a hero in this entire situation) – are now not enough.

Even on its own, the RedZone situation, as this news spreads, is going to severely dent people’s confidence in Second Life as a platform and further shake users’ faith that Linden Lab has, as far as possible, got their back covered when it comes to reasonable expectations of privacy.

In a week when RedZone has continued to rock the boat, when Gemini CDS has begun to emerge as still being in widespread use, when Quickware, Sparrow and the “Gzoa” items all pitched up / got whacked, LL remained stubbornly silent on matters, other than Soft’s lone voice on the JIRA (and who out of the majority of SL residents, study the JIRA regularly?). At the same time, multiple questions around RedZone and alt detection raised on the new Community Platform were shut down – hard.

Within Linden Lab there has always been something of a permissive attitude towards many things. Frequently, it’s taken a court case or two to shake the company out of lassitude. People point to Philip Rosedale as the “cool dude” and cite things like “West Coast attitudes”; the Lab itself talks in terms of the (iteself ideological) “Love Machine” and the hippy-ish “Tao of Linden”. They make for really good human interest reads; they make for cosy employee feelings. They frame the Rosedale dream and vision of Second Life.

And they need to stop.

Whack-a-mole is no longer an option – if it ever was. Linden Lab have been trying to a good number of years now to get the platform taken seriously. Unless they grab this particular nettle properly and excise it from their lawn, they are not only going to further damage the credibility of the platform to the world at large, they risk tearing the community itself apart with suspicion and doubt.

People are already avoiding the use of media in their viewers; and while Sione Lumo’s Media Patch is gaining wider acceptance in the Viewer community, the fact is  – again, as I keep on hammering – technical solutions are not the key. Not only are they potentially hard from the non-technical community to grasp, they are a potential threat to the economy (no media = no live music) and they are a challenge to all the little skiddies out there who see such tools as something to be “gotten around”.

Linden Lab need to make a stand. Now. They need to stop with all the Ta0y lovey-dovey. They need to straighten out the ToS and the Community Standards and get themselves a fully-rounded Privacy Policy that completes the triangle. A Privacy Policy that, rather than simply trying to absolve them of any blame if Things Go Wrong, actually sets out the expectations of privacy their users can reasonably expect when signing-up to their service. They need to eliminate contradictions in the ToS around sections 4.3 and 8.3.

Idealism had its place once, back when Second Life was starting out; but the fact is, if the company really wants to be taken seriously, if it really wants to try to leverage the likes of Facebook and the rest, then it needs to do more than simply looking like it means business.

It needs to start acting that way as well – not least where the user base is concerned. If they don’t then Second Life runs a serious risk of being ever-increasingly marginalised as viable platform, and will haemorrhage users as they leave to join those platforms that demonstrate a willingness to meet their expectations.