What Have The Forums Given SL?

What have the forums given us? What has been discussed and first come to light in the forums? How have they, if in anyway, shaped and changed and influenced Second Life?

I can think of a few:

The term FIC, first coined on the forums. It has become a running joke and discussion both on the forums and in-world.

Discussions defining the ToS, such as the early Age-Play threads (not the last 50 zillion), the infamous Upskirt Art Gallery, discussions about historical and controverial builds such as the White Hat's Twin Tower 9/11 build and the Concentration Camp build, as well as the Impeach Bush signs discussions.

Discussions about tolerance both in-world and in RL, including sexual orientation, lifestyle sub-cultures (D/s, Gor, etc), racism with SL, religion within SL and views on those from countries other than our own.

Discusions on business and money concerns within SL, including Land Barons, first land, land scamming, Object Permissions, Texture theft, Freebie selling, currency exchanges, and a host of other topics.

The ability to become involved in-world in large scale events and projects, such as The Relay for Life, The Burning Life festival, The Winter Festival, Neverland, OZ, China Town and many others. Without this medium to make others aware, and spread the word, those wouldn't have been as successful and more folks would have been left out.

A King being declared for SL (Long Live King Dillon!).

And these are but a few examples. If you can think of more, please feel free to list them.

The forums can be mean, they can get wild, but they are also, often, a view into what is going on within SL, and a place to better define what is ok within SL and what isn't. They are also a place for humor and venting. For making friends and seeing opposing viewpoints.

They are also a hand-in-hand history of Second Life, whether the history was made within the forums, or something in-world that was reflected and discussed here. Catch phrases, social and moral issues, technical innovations and problems and community standards and events coming to light or life here.

Sure, they've also had negative impacts, and caused fueds or hard-feelings. Sure they have often pointed out large scale concerns about LL and Second Life in a negative light. Sure they have often been a place just to jabber and act funny and flippant, or arrogant.

But they HAVE had value in their way. And the have influenced Second Life, in many small ways and some large ones.

I think they had a huge value, you just had to dip beneath the icky surface. I don't think the 'front page' of the forums was healthy reading, and imagine that the majority saw past that, and simply flicked to the page they're interested in. IMO, SL is better with a focal point for announcements, information, and discussion, in fact, I think it's essential (but what do I know?), and that focal point has to be LL run.

I don't think the surface was icky. It was just people.

Exactly. The people that were having screaming fights about certain topics were having fun too. Those of us that weren't interested in that kind of fun just ignored those threads. But some people love a good fight, so why should they be denied their fun?

I mean come on, they wouldn't keep posting if they didn't enjoy it. Everyone has their “thing”. If they got off on bickering back and forth, who are we to say it's wrong?

Like I said, it's not like we had to read those threads.

1. I wouldn't have known that starax left had I not read it here

2. I wouldn't have had any clue how to start a little business in SL had it not been for the tips people gave me here when I started.


The forums and the feedback I received from other players who posted here were invaluable to me when I started 2 years ago, just as they are to new players who join today.

The forums have tought me how to close the tab on that nasty post that I was just about to write. ^_^
But not much else good have I seen come from General Topics or The Sandbox.

I agree completely. They were very helpful when SL was just a tiny world, and are doubly so now. There just isn't as effective of a way to spread word of something in-world. I mean even birthdays, anniversaries parties, townhalls and someone needing help or compassion in SL or RL were easier to hear about by browsing these very forums.

I just feel they had a real impact and value and were a way of bringing folks together in a world that has grown so large that it's difficult to do otherwise.

Don't worry Ingrid, I'm sure the Linden blogs would have told you about Starax, had he not left while the forums were still here - right after they stopped using video of themselves using his wand for promotional purposes...

Don't know about us - but I think they've give the Lindens a mirror they can't bring themselves to look into

Just to point out one aspect of what the board has given me (and there are many):

The board showed me a window into some social circles in SL that I normaly would not have been given instight to. Furries, Goreons and age players oh my! Agree with them, understand them or whatever aside, it did serve to help me see more of the "why". This alone can serve to slow down the snap judgement nature within us.

I find that pretty important in SL. Not only does it teach you something about a mindset you may not have experience with but it can also chip away at the prejudged notiions.

There will NEVER be anything like this. A central point of all cultures and idea bases together. Sub cultures will form thier own areas. People will go to places that will think like they do. This will stop one great value this board served for me.

Mr Hammer, meet Mr. Nailhead.

Pie. Lots and lots of pie.

Which is half serious. The forums became a culture of their own. And while only a minority of SL residents frequented them, I think many of the most passionate came here.

I wuoldn't have found any of the great places i shop at now..

Quite a few people I wouldn't have met at all..

Wouldn't have toured the Gor areas...

Wouldn't have known what a furry was..

so alot of good comes out of the forums..
I just think alot like to complain..

These forums gave me a very important relationship about a year ago - a relationship that didn't last but that subdivided and gave me two more relationships that remain among the most important in my life right now, SL or RL. And through one of those two spin-offs I met some wonderful, colorful people like you and Taco and Richie.

Thank you, forums.

They gave us a voice. Now that they are being removed it justs proves LL doesn't care what the residents want.

i don't think SL will have a good community without the forums. Communication is the key. Just walking around talking to people you bump into is not a community.

I agree..so completely...i lurked for the longest time before i ever had the nerve to post, and now i just can’t shut up..lol, have learned many things here..the forums taught me how to see how the economy works, what works for some won’t work for others, to appreciate the creativity and genius of its citizens. It’s showed me different cultures and how they experience SL. It’s warned me of exploits and scams long before i would have heard them anywhere else. I have laughed long and hard and felt others pain as well.

I am deeply saddened our voices will be extinguished.

Right. Well, besides the relationships, the community, the shopping alerts, the business tips, the culture, the mirror for the Lindens, the sociological discussions, the feedback and the pie... what have the forums ever done for us?

Well..this one night..when I was really drunk..and the forums were looking kinda hot...

The forums let me know it wasn't just me when I ran into a new bug. (and sometimes, it let me know it was just me. )

The forums have given me........

great products to buy

great people to listen to...maybe not agree w/, but listen to

great building info when I had questions

great tutorials

great info about things in-world that I was UNaware of

great links to other great sites

great opportunities to donate to worthy causes

great opportunities to bitch and piss and also praise what LL has done

great chances to just share

great help from the BEST!

Seriously I could ask a question in here and get a rapid response from a player who wanted to help...that was golden. And in turn I had the chance to answer and help someone, man that is a great feeling.

I KNOW that's a dead thing now. I posted a question to 'Live Help' tonite and w/ 5 Lindens on I got NO response....NONE!

*sigh*

Lindens are NO longer open to hear us......I think they want to be like Blizzard, but can't quite play w/ the big boys in that regard.

I wish you all the luck you can find LL.

Be well all......last post for me.

You know what's really sad? The teen grid will continue to have forums, and requires a credit card to signup. Why are they destroying the adult grid like this? If anything WE need that.

Ironicaly the teen grid does not pump near as much into the Linden Labs bottom line profits as we do. Not saying the Teen grid is a bad thing.. but you are right Yiffy, we WANT these things and value them but they are taken. And we are paying the land tiers, monthly premiums, buying Lindens from the Lindex, creating the content of the world, etc etc etc.

Sad to see all the "last posts" and people that are leaving. The forums are important, but this is not about the forums as much as the shut off of communication.

Kudos to people like Lucy Linden who I see on the Instructor channel talking with us often. I ran into Nigel Linden tonight and he was very nice. It is not all the lindens so I dont want to sound like the Lindens are evil lol. Phil is making some very questionable business moves regarding us the paying public though.

Thank you to you Lindens who prove over and over again that we matter to you. We just wish your company direction showed the same message.

The largest, richest, most diverse community in SL, which for all its bells and whistles, is still technically incapable of supporting in world, though it undoubtably feeds off its energy for the good.

Something to read at work.

Wow so their STILL going through with this even though they don't even have aproval of other lindens? Talk about major bad business practices. O.o